


vanilla sweet universe

by xxcaribbean



Category: One Direction (Band), Real Person Fiction
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Breeding Kink, Knotting, M/M, Masturbation, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mpreg, Self-Lubrication, Sexual Content, parents!ziam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-19
Updated: 2014-06-19
Packaged: 2018-02-05 07:23:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 78,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1810108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxcaribbean/pseuds/xxcaribbean
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>despite the fact that zayn’s an alpha, liam gives him a chance to prove himself worthy of the omega’s affections.</p><p>(or all four parts to this series combined for easier reading).</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. vanilla sweet

**Author's Note:**

> for any of you who aren't familiar with the a/b/o universe, then i suggest you check out this [primer.](http://archiveofourown.org/works/403644/chapters/665489)

This place – it’s supposed to be some kind of restaurant, but all Liam sees is a bar on the other side of the room with drunk men hanging off their seats, leering at anything with two legs in hopes that they can finally get their knot in someone because that’s the only way they’d be able to keep anyone around anyway – is not what Liam had expected. It’s too rough and too loud, and when he catches a gaze at the watch on his wrist, he’s certain he should leave right now because this stupid blind date wasn’t something he should’ve ever agreed to.

Liam’s not had much luck dating.

Mostly his life has consisted with Alphas trying to bed him any chance there was a sign he was in heat. And even if he did have a few men interested in him, they tended to find some flaw in Liam and left him for better. It hasn’t done much for his self-esteem but Liam’s holding out hope that the world isn’t as different as he’d always imagined it to be.

See, in this day in age, it’s about finding someone to _breed_ him, and if Liam’s honest, he’s not necessarily fond of that term. After all, he is a male that can’t reproduce, but it’s a word given to Omegas when things end up hurting, and they need to be taken just to relieve the unyielding pressure. The thing is, and Liam’s largest concern with the setup of current life, is the fact that sometimes he wishes things weren’t like this. Being an Alpha means dominance and wealth while simultaneously fucking everything in sight because it’s more of a privilege than anything else. He doesn’t want the life he’d been given, a measly Omega, because more often than not a good majority view him as a bitch, nothing more than a lesser species because he’s meant for sex and not a bigger role in society.

And it’s a bothersome thing because Liam’s more than capable of everything anyone else can do. He just has a few drawbacks when his body overloads itself with desire. He sees it as a negative rather than a positive, hasn’t really understood the real reason, or any pleasure in the fact that he becomes overly sensitive and more than slightly hormonal.

But although this is the case, Liam most certainly believes in love. It’s a hard thing to find when Omegas howl in misery and would rather be taken than see their heat all the way through, but this also leaves less room for love and more room for steady one night stands. Liam’s fine with it, doesn’t want to go out of his way to say that what others do is wrong, but Liam wants more than to be held down for a few hours, only to be released and thrown away with like yesterdays trash.

To Liam, being knotted means more to him than relieving any kind of stress in his life that being an Omega brings. It’s fine for others to do as they please, and he’s even been told by friends that his head is up in the clouds, that he should just find someone quickly enough so that he’s not alone during his cycle. Liam might be broken, may want more than what everyone gets, but he holds out hope.

So if he’s being honest with himself, he has to admit that he accepted this proposal from his friend Niall because Liam’s still looking for _the one_ , no matter how naïve he is about the entire ordeal. It’s not like Liam thought that tonight would be the very night that things would finally work out for him, but Liam’s an opportunist, and he’d rather not waste the potential.

“Need a drink?”

Liam’s startled, and when he looks up, he finds a pretty brunette with a wide smile staring at him. She’s wearing a uniform, black pants and an off-white shirt tucked in, but he just smiles and nods. “Sure,” he answers because as much as he shouldn’t have agreed to this, maybe the poor fellow is just running behind and hasn’t actually stood Liam up.

That’s a lie though. Or at least that’s how Liam feels. He realizes what’s happened, but he might as well make use of his night now that he’ll be spending it alone.

“Okay, I’ll be right back.” And she’s off, and Liam’s left alone again in a too crowded, too filthy room.

When he gets his drink, he nearly chugs it, feeling the beer slide down his insides in a warm embrace that will certainly help him sleep a little better tonight. He ends up throwing a wad of cash onto the table, knowing if he doesn’t stop himself now, he’ll be too far gone to make it home tonight. And so when he stands up from the booth in disappointment and hope for tomorrow to come quickly, he winces just as he hears the first cat call.

“S’just about to happen, innit?”

Of course Liam doesn’t know if it’s directed at him, but the feeling in his gut tells him so. He hadn’t really been able to spot any other Omegas in the room, unfortunately, because if anyone would have his back, it’d be them. But instead it looks like he walked into a nest of Betas and the few Alphas. It’s not going to be easy getting out.

Liam ignores the first question and pretends like it’s not for him. He still doesn’t know, but as he walks away from his booth a hands slips from out of nowhere and wraps itself around his wrist so tightly, he winces. He’s pulled back into the arms of a man who smells like cheap beer and sweat, and Liam has to struggle just to push himself an inch or two away despite the firm grip on his arm. It’s clear that they’ve got a few of the other patron's attention, so Liam tries his best not to protest too loudly.

“I’m leaving now, so please let me go.” Swallowing down the thickness in his throat is no easy feat, and his voice comes out small and timid and not at all like he needs it to be right now. He’s far better than some of these men regardless of the way they view him, but he has to be careful, so very delicate if he wants out. Alphas are known to take what they want rather than give.

“Oh, c’mon now!” The male laughs. It’s harsh, as if he’d been smoking and his throat hasn’t recovered from the smoke. “You’ll be needing it soon, won’t ya? Might as well take what ‘m offerin’ ya.”

Liam grimaces and tries to pull away but the hold on his wrist stays put, and by now Liam’s more than a little unsettled. He’s alone, and it seems as if no one is willing to help him, otherwise he’s sure someone would’ve offered their help by now.

“I’m not looking for trouble,” Liam explains, titling his head by trying to garner a soft look that might just have this Alpha take pity on him.

“‘Course not.” The man lifts his free hand and grabs a hold of Liam’s chin so that he can make sure Liam’s looking at him. “You came in here for a reason, didn’t ya?”

Liam tries to pull back, but not only does the grip on his wrist tighten even further, but the fingers press harder into his jawline so he can’t move his head. “Even if I had, you wouldn’t be anything I’d go for. Pretty sure you wouldn’t be able to handle me anyway.”

And that does it. It’s the one snide comment that Liam should’ve kept to himself because the next thing he knows there’s a slap across his face and a shove. He ends up hissing and bringing a hand up to his cheek where he feels wetness touch his fingers. As he pulls his hand away, he sees the red that stains the tips of his skin and briefly looks up to see what else may happen now that he’s hurt. Instead of seeing the Alpha come at him again as he expected, there’s a group of three men jostling the drunken male towards the door. Liam can’t help but stare wide-eyed at what’s going on, but as he glances around him, he finds another male staring at him from behind the bar.

Liam’s never seen him before, but it’s clear that he’s the bartender. It’s obvious he’s seeing red just by the expression on his face, and Liam wants to curl in on himself when there’s no movement from the other lad. He hadn’t meant to cause trouble, and so when he decides to open his mouth to speak, the man shakes his head before his face softens. Liam closes his mouth, but doesn’t know what to do until the bartender is making his way around from behind the bar and over to Liam himself. He ends up grabbing Liam’s hand, who flinches at the touch at first, until two reassuring eyes plead that he’ll be okay.

They both don’t pay attention to anyone who’s staring as they walk. There’s already someone who’s cleaning up the mess left behind and another person working the bar while Liam is being led towards the back and behind a door that reads _employees only_. He still doesn’t speak and nor does he ask who this fellow is.

Eventually when they’ve made their way around the kitchen sink and to a small area, he’s told to sit down and wait just a moment. Liam listens, but he’s nervous, and in the meantime, he examines his fingers and moves his jaw around to get a feel for how bad his cheek hurts. He tries to look around for a mirror, but can’t find anything until there is shuffling, and the lad from behind the bar appears with what looks like a bottle of alcohol and some paper towels in his hand. He pulls up another chair, facing Liam before he silently rips one of the towels off of the role and douses it in the solution. When he’s done that, and as Liam continues to stare, he lifts his hand up towards Liam’s cheek but pauses just before the product touches skin. His eyebrows go up in a silent question, and Liam only nods concluding that he’s okay with being cleaned up.

“You don’t have to,” he whispers but the response goes ignored by the other lad asking for his name instead. “Liam,” he replies.

“Zayn.”

He ends up carefully dabbing at Liam’s skin, and it stings, but it’s nothing he can’t handle.

“I’m sorry about that.”

Liam blinks up through his eyelashes and furrows his brow. “Wasn’t your fault.”

Zayn snorts. “It’s the principle, Liam. Should’ve been looking after you the moment you walked through the door.”

And at that, Liam pushes himself up from his seat so he’s standing tall over Zayn. He looks startled, but Liam’s suddenly angry and doesn't care. “So is that what this is? Help the poor Omega who can’t help himself?”

Zayn looks guilty all of a sudden before setting down the used paper towel. He licks his lips and slowly stands up so that he can see Liam from the same height. “I’m sorry.” He shakes his head and holds up a hand, clearly meaning that he’s got more to say. “That’s not what I meant.”

Liam rolls his eyes. “Sure sounded like it.”

“Listen,” Zayn snaps harshly, and when he does, Liam feels something jolt within his chest. He breathes in deeply, eyes blinking closed before reopening quickly.

“You’re an Alpha.”

Zayn looks away like he’s been caught but doesn’t wait to let Liam continue. “Yeah, but that’s beside the point. I didn’t mean the way it sounded. You look like you can take care of yourself, and I’m not trying to belittle you. But if you’ve never been around _drunk_ Alphas before, you wouldn’t know that they’re difficult to shake off and utter assholes. You had no chance.”

Liam continues to glare though despite the explanation. “So you’d thought you’d play hero and take his place?” He takes the time to study Zayn quickly, glancing down at his feet before dragging his eyes over his body. Zayn’s certainly smaller than the other Alphas Liam’s seen before, but he has no doubt he’s got a knack for strength whenever he needs it. His features are rather delicate, yet sharp, and one of the main things that catches Liam off guard is that he’s not exuding dominance or superiority as everyone else normally would. At this realization, Liam backs down slightly, takes a step away and lowers his shoulders that were stiff in defense. “I’m sorry.”

Zayn shakes his head and waves him off. “Don’t be. It’s to be expected, I suppose. Although I should warn you that next time, don’t come here alone.”

At that, Liam grimaces badly enough that Zayn sees. “Don’t ask.”

“Too bad. What happened?”

“I hope to god I never have to see that bastard.”

Zayn whistles. “Someone’s pissed you off then?”

Liam shrugs before relenting and looking away from Zayn. “Stood up.”

There’s a noise of protest that has Liam glancing back over to Zayn. He’s taken his seat again but Liam doesn’t follow.

“I reckon they missed out then.”

“Really? After all of this? You trying to dig yourself a grave?” Liam remarks.

Zayn does nothing but smirk. “I’m not lying though. Take it as a compliment, yeah?”

Before Liam can respond to Zayn’s words, someone’s calling out his name, asking for him to return to his shift at the bar. At that, Zayn sighs and yells over his shoulder that he’ll be right there.

“As you’ve heard, because people around here can’t bother to do more than their fair share, they need me.” Zayn stands up from his seat again. “You were about to leave, right? I’ll show you another way out.”

He nods his head for Liam to follow, and well, Liam wonders if this is it. If this is how his night will end. He’s grateful, sure, but he’s not sure what to make of his luck either. He’s fortunate for Zayn given that Liam still has an inkling of belief that he could fend for himself, but he’s also not quite sure whether he should be offended by Zayn’s rather forward comments.

“There’s a door just down the hall there,” Zayn points when they step out of the room. “It’ll lead you to the alley. Just take a right, and you’ll be on the side of the building near the car park. You should be able to get out of here scott-free.”

And with that, he’s gone, and Liam’s left standing in the backroom with a kitchen sink and a rack of clean glasses. Eventually, though, he leaves with more on his mind than when he’d first entered the place.

x.x.x.x

If there is one thing that Liam prides himself on, it’s being polite. So every day that has passed since the bar incident, as he likes to call it, he realizes what an utter ass he’d been to Zayn. He hadn’t even told the other male thank you for what he’d done, although Liam had been slightly peeved at the notion that he’d needed another Alpha to be his knight in shining armor.

Regardless, the fact remains that he hadn’t been all that nice to Zayn who had helped him in the end, and it’s stuck with Liam these past few days. Which is why he decides to go to the bar early on a Friday night so that it’s not overly late yet and not as crowded as it had been when he’d been there a week or two ago; it's also to scope out the area and see if Zayn’s there. It’s an easy chance to talk to him quickly or disappear as if he’d never shown his face.

He’s not quite sure why he feels the need to do this. And yes, the idea of him not paying his dues is enough for him to do crazy, stupid things in order to make sure he’s equal with people, but Liam’s also found that Zayn’s a bit different than he initially thought. It’s quite unfair to pinpoint an exact reasoning just yet, given that Liam’s only met him once and spent less than a total of five minutes with the Alpha, but Zayn seemed different, as if Liam was more than what others perceived. That in itself was enough to give the lad a chance and for Liam to make his way down to the bar in order to make sure that Zayn knew Liam was grateful and wasn’t upset with him as he had seemed to be that night.

When Liam gets inside, it’s a lot clearer. There’s less smoke and fewer people, and he can’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. The tension from convincing himself to walk in here has nearly faded, and when he finally remembers the reason he’d come in the first place, he makes his way over to the bar and takes a seat.

The bartender that greets him is definitely not Zayn. He seems a bit older but friendly, so Liam decides to ask about Zayn to see if he can get any kind of information on him.

“When does he come in?”

“He should be here in an hour or two,” the other male answers. When he realizes Liam’s not ready to order yet, or at all, he leaves Liam be. Liam, on the other hand, debates on sticking around. It only takes him a second to decide against it, wanting to leave now before more people show up as he’s not willing to take a chance like last time. It’s funny though, he thinks, to be scared of a place full of patrons just wanting to get drunk. Liam should have the same luxury, but unfortunately he knows that his heat is expected within the next few days, and if the Alpha last time could sense it, it’s more than a possibility that the rest would be able to tell as well.

Liam eventually wanders out of the bar and towards his car. His hands are shoved into his pockets, and he kicks at the rocks on the road just because he can. There’s a part of him that feels slightly disappointed, but it isn’t like he can’t try again.

“Liam?”

He looks up, and he’ll be damned if this is more than a coincidence, let alone a convenience given Liam hadn’t wanted anything to do with the bar in the first place.

“Everything alright?”

Liam nods and a smile grows on his face. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Didn’t expect to see you back,” Zayn comments.

Liam studies him again. His attire is nearly all black save for the gray shirt he’s wearing. It fits him snuggly, just like the jeans that frame thin legs. “I was looking for you actually,” Liam quickly spits out. It’s not like him to be this absorbed in his own world nor is it like him to be rude either.

“Well, I’m here now.”

Liam nods once before biting the inside of his cheek. He knows why he’s here - although he’s beginning to question that - because although he has a reason to be sorry for his behavior, it also seems like it’s an excuse just to see Zayn again. And Liam’s not quite sure why that is. Sure, the other lad is fit. Very fit, if he’s being honest, and maybe Liam has a bit of a thing for hero complexes given his situation and the rather unfortunate turn of events when puberty hit, and he wasn’t blessed with what most males were given.

“I’m sorry,” he says. Liam blinks once at the sudden admission but then bits at his lower lip in hesitation soon afterwards. “I mean, thank you.”

Zayn tilts his head to the side trying to find Liam’s eyes considering they’re not focused on him. When he finds them, they’re a nice brown shade that glistens in the light of the setting sun. In fact, he nearly looks like he’s glowing, sun bouncing off white skin. It also shows off the natural color of Liam’s hair, a mix of blonde and brown.

“I’m not quite sure what you’ve done to me that you should apologize for, nor do I understand why you’re thanking me either.” Zayn lifts an arm up to scratch at his neck, and Liam takes it as a sign of nervousness too. Which, in all fairness, he has no reason to be. They’re just two people who are meeting for the second time in their life, who’ve done nothing but assist one another in a hapless situation.

Liam takes to shrugging before speaking. “For the other night. I didn’t properly say thank you, and instead I accused you of trying to come on to me without any real evidence of the sort.”

As soon as Liam finishes speaking, Zayn’s furrowing his brow and waving him off. “Come off it, Liam. It was no big deal.”

He takes a few steps forward, and at first Liam thinks he’s going to pass by him in order to head for the bar but before he does that, he stands nearly shoulder to shoulder with Liam. He’s closer than he had been the other night, and Liam can see every inch of his face; how the stubble scatters across his skin so delicately but enough to give him a shadow, and the way that his bone structure is sharp and defines his eyes that are staring directly at Liam with a look he doesn’t know how to place.

“However, I don’t think it’d be too off the mark to say that maybe it was done on purpose too; you know, me saving your ass.”

Liam opens his mouth to speak, but Zayn beats him to it with a wide grin.

“What can I say?” Zayn quirks an eyebrow up. “I like what I see, and if it meant helping you out so we’d be introduced, then there was no way I was going to pass that up.”

Of course it’s direct, and Liam should expect no less. He’s talking to a guy who works in a bloody bar, who deals with drunks and assholes at night. There was bound to be some kind of snarky behavior, and it seems that Liam had been the tail end of it this time around.

“What are you saying?” Liam says softly in confusion, because there’s no way that Zayn would make such a comment without actually meaning more.

Zayn's grin drops into a dopey smile, and he almost looks startled at having to admit the reason for his actions. But as soon as he gives it some thought, he’s back to looking at Liam with the same fondness and brave demeanor of before. “If they hadn’t of called me back to the bar the other night, I would’ve slowly worked my way up to asking you out.”

This time, Liam’s almost startled. There’s a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth but there’s also a warning going off in his head because how could it be that he’d been stood up one night, only to find someone else interested in him?

“Oh, please don’t tell me I’m not your type?” Zayn raises a hand up to his chest and throws his head back as if he’d been shot. He chuckles at himself but quickly sobers when he realizes Liam’s only staring at him. “I’m really not your type, am I?”

There’s a beat or two that passes between them before Liam scuffs a foot against the ground. He breathes out heavily before he says, “That’s not it.” He has a hard time looking up over at Zayn, what with him being completely different than what Liam initially expected, but he finds it hard to admit what he’s really thinking.

“Then, might I ask what the problem is?”

“This isn’t a matter of me liking you or not. It’s quite the opposite actually.”

Zayn gives a _go on_ type of expression, waving his hand for Liam to finish.

“I have a feeling I’m not really _your_ type,” he admits.

But Zayn just clicks his tongue, takes one step backwards so that he’s not so close to Liam and can actually look him in the eye without having to turn his head so far. Zayn sighs, “I’m going to refrain from calling bullshit on your part because I think there’s more to it than that. I’d also like to throw in the word _scared_ , but I don’t want you to go about disliking me again now that we’ve become a bit familiar with one another. I’d hate to ruin my chances when I’m so far along in the game already.”

Liam’s not quite sure what to say, whether he should feel upset or slightly hurt that maybe Zayn has actually pegged him correctly. Honestly, he has every right to be weary though. Hell, he’d just been felt up by an Alpha several days ago, and now he’s got another hitting on him.

“I’ll tell you what,” Zayn interrupts Liam’s thoughts by holding up a finger to somehow emphasis his point, “you go on one date with me - a lunch date, by the way; we’ll play it safe - and if you don’t have a good time, we can part ways and never see each other again. It’s a win for you, and a very noticeable hint that I’m not very good with chatting up men and winning them over.”

Zayn finishes his little speech before holding out his hand to which Liam just glances at it, not sure where he’s going with this. “You shake hands if there’s a deal,” Zayn states. He pushes his hand forward and waits. “Or I could be very wrong, and you’re really not interested. I have a tendency to let my words get ahead of my common sense.”

As Zayn begins to pull his hand back, it’s suddenly tugged on. When Zayn briefly glances down, he finds that Liam’s fingers are curled around his before he moves it up and down in a friendly gesture.

“One date. I’ll give you that.”

Zayn’s eyes crinkle around the edges when his face pulls up into a mega-watt smile. “Okay then. Meet me here this Saturday, assuming you don’t have anything going on, and I’ll take you somewhere nice.”

He waits for Liam to give him the okay, and when he does, there’s a definite shift in the air. Liam feels good, and it’s obvious that Zayn feels just the same.

“I’ve got to head into work now, but I’ll see you, Liam.” He winks before he moves past Liam and out of sight.

The night air is what finally makes Liam get a move on after a second or two of pause, mainly thinking about what he’d gotten himself into. Then again, it’s a onetime thing if he so wishes, and Liam’s an opportunist. He’d rather give it a go with an unlikely fellow than miss out on something that could very well be splendid.

x.x.x.x

“So, what’s this place you have in mind?” Liam asks.

They’re walking to Zayn’s intended destination, and it’s not that Liam really cares, but he’s curious. Zayn has a lot riding on this, and Liam feels the pressure to make a decision. It’s difficult, but he’s trying to get himself to relax, having spent all morning fretting over what he should do and say before finally settling on just going with whatever happens.

“It’s one of my favorite places to go. Great source for inspiration.” Zayn ducks his head with a shy smile, and it’s in that moment that Liam’s getting to see a part of him that he apparently doesn’t show off very much. It’s also what helps him relax further, knowing that even if Zayn can be all sorts of confidence anytime he wants, he’s still human and scared about opening up.

“I’m sure it’ll be great,” Liam replies with so much heart that he hopes Zayn’s able to convey that he truly means it.

When Zayn finally halts just outside of a little cafe, it’s not like Liam expected it to be. It’s quaint and also very quiet despite all the people sitting inside. Zayn, however, doesn’t stop to take a seat within the building, and Liam follows him with curiosity. He ends up walking through the humble place and straight towards a set of back doors that lead to an outside area. Zayn halts when he gets to the threshold long enough to turn his gaze on Liam.

“It’s not much,” he says, “but I hope you like it.”

Zayn steps through the already open door. The weather is nice, a very light breeze that cools down the heat of the sun, and the first thing Liam is met with is a large outdoor terrace. There’s a scattering of tables, a few of which are occupied, but there’s one left reserved over near the railing in the far left hand corner. Just beyond the metal bars lies a small river, with trees occupying the other side of the bank instead of more buildings.

Liam’s too eager to take in the site to notice that Zayn’s pulled out his chair for him, and when he finally does, he gives a quick _thank you_ before sitting down and staring back out at the water. It’s not really anything overly special, but there’s an air here to which Liam thinks he understands exactly what Zayn had been talking about. There’s peace, and something else that allows one to think full thoughts through without the interruption of busy life.

“It’s beautiful,” Liam remarks.

There’s a brief moment of silence before the air shifts and a chuckle of laughter escapes from Zayn. Liam looks over at him with a smile.

“Sorry.”

But Zayn shakes his head and rests his chin in the palm of his head. “Don’t be. I’m glad you appreciate it. I was beginning to believe I was the only one who saw the appeal.”

Liam tries biting at his lip to keep the grin off of his face but it still shines through. They’re barely even halfway through this date, and Liam already feels quite amazing. “You said it drew inspiration?”

Zayn nods before they’re interrupted by a waiter who sets down two glasses of water for them. He also asks them what they would like, and despite the fact that Liam’s never been here before, he takes one look at the menu and just chooses something at random, wanting their server to leave them alone.

“For different things. Mainly mixing new alcoholic beverages for the occasional party that comes in. You know the kind that are nearly drunk but they don’t want to stop yet?” Zayn shakes his head and rolls his eyes, but he means no harm in his comment.

“Your life must be quite exciting then.” He says it with good intentions because Liam knows that his life is so far from fun and nothing like how Zayn’s must be. Serving drinks at a bar doesn’t sound all too intriguing, but Liam can’t image the kinds of characters he gets. And yes, he does realize there’s a fair share of upset Alphas, given he’d seen it firsthand, but he’d like to believe that not everyone is like that either.

Zayn shrugs and takes a sip of his drink before speaking. “Not really. It’s the same thing every night, you know? Of course there’s drama but it’s not long before it gets old.” He pauses to look out at the water.

Liam, on the other hand, can’t help but watch him. There’s something quite interesting in the way he moves, all graceful and with precision. Zayn’s facial expressions are solemn but they hold so much impact that Liam knows when he’s holding back or about to go all out and say whatever’s on his mind. And that isn’t to suggest he has no filter, but sometimes it seems like it, especially when Zayn gets excited. He’s calm in action, but there’s also a buzzing of energy that circles him too. There’s honesty there, like not being afraid to say what he means and neither hesitant to correct powerful words in a way that makes sense.

“You haven’t told me what you do yet, Liam.”

Liam ends up making a noise with his mouth to implicate that what he’s going to say, doesn’t really suit his taste all that well. “I work with computers mostly. The IT guy that everyone needs when they’re too handicapped to figure out what they’re doing wrong with technology.

Zayn nearly busts out laughing which only causes Liam to smile, not quite sure how it’s all that funny. “Don’t be too sarcastic now, Liam. It’s really that bad?”

He gives it a thought because while he’s made it sound like a tragedy, it’s not all that bad. “I guess not, but it’s not really what I pictured doing.”

“Oh?”

Liam uses his lower teeth to bite on his upper lip, realizing he’s just opened the door to talk about the things that could have, should have, would have been but weren’t because of a very specific reason, one that had landed him this date in the first place.

“Growing up, I wanted to be a firefighter.” Liam kinda nods his head, mulling over his words.

“And what happened with that? You look like you can take it.” Zayn smirks, which only causes Liam to flush before he decides to answer.

“You grow up, and you realize your potential isn’t what you expected it to be. So it holds you back because there’s always someone better suited for the job.”

Zayn’s face falls into something neutral. It’s the first time that Liam’s not been able to pinpoint exactly what he’s thinking. He doesn’t like it one bit, and he figures he probably said the wrong thing, but his words were the truth. As one grows up, reality hits and what someone thought was wonderful as a child, isn’t suited to their expertise. It’s how it works, and Liam’s not wasting his days away upset about it. Instead he found another decent job with good pay and nice people. It’s more than he could’ve wished for.

It’s just, given the chance, he’d probably change it if he could. But he tries not to dwell on that.

Suddenly, there’s a hand wrapped around Liam’s, fingers curling around the edges so that the tips of those digits are touching the inside of Liam’s palm.

“I’m sorry,” Zayn says. He squeezes Liam’s hand, and the other lad can do nothing but glance down and swallow the thickness that’s accumulated in his throat.

“For what?” He smiles, or at least tries to, but Liam’s sure it looks off, a little more slanted and more forced. As much as Liam thinks he can read Zayn, he has no doubt in his mind that Zayn can do the same. He’s studied people enough, having worked in a bar where all kinds of disasters await.

“That they made you feel like you couldn’t.”

Liam shrugs his shoulders. “It’s not that, I suppose. It’s more along the lines I’d end up having to take more sick days than do any good. Omegas are distractions, Zayn, and in an important job like that, they can’t afford it.”

Zayn struggles to find words. He’s not all that great at comforting, but even then, he feels like there should be a line or two that would make Liam feel better. “Well, it shouldn’t be like that then. If you have half as much dedication as I think you do, then you’d be wonderful at doing whatever you wanted. Although, I hope doing what you are now isn’t all that bad either.”

“No,” Liam rushes to say. “No, it’s not. Don’t get me wrong. It’s nice, and they’re understanding, so I think I have it pretty good.”

There’s an apology on the both of their tongues but neither outright says it because the waiter eventually comes back with their food. They eat in silence for the first five minutes or so until Liam breaks it with more questions. From there on out, it’s mild conversation, delving into their past and a few embarrassing moments that Liam would rather not relive. But it’s nice, and it’s definitely not anything Liam expected to come from someone like Zayn.

So when they’re walking back to the bar at nearly two in the afternoon, and Liam leads Zayn over to his car just before saying goodbye, Zayn clears his throat and shoves both of his hands into his pocket. “So, how’d I do?” Zayn tries not to look too inquisitive, but it shows that he’s dying to know how their time together went.

Liam ponders it for a moment, really working through his emotions and playing with his facial expressions just to mix Zayn up a bit. Eventually he realizes that Zayn’s getting antsy so he smiles and says, “It was a lot better than I thought it was going to be actually.”

Zayn’s entire face breaks out into a grin. It’s a rare one, Liam’s found. It only happens are certain times, when Zayn’s overly happy and nothing adverse is standing in his way of having a good time. “Yeah?”

Liam chuckles and shakes his head. “Yeah, it was.” He licks his lips and opens his car door before bringing a hand up to his ear and tugging on it. “Which means I’d like to do this again sometime,” Liam’s brown eyes flicker over toward Zayn, eyeing him carefully as he continues, “if you want, that is.”

“Sure,” Zayn answers. They exchanged phone numbers and just as Zayn’s backing away from Liam so he can leave, he brings his hands up to the lapels of his jacket, pulling on them before trying to look a lot tougher than Liam knows he is and says, “Nice to know I still got it.”

It sends Liam in a fit of giggles he didn’t know he had in him before shaking his head and telling Zayn he has to go but he’ll see him sometime soon. And by the time Liam arrives home, that smile, and his mood hasn’t diminished in the slightest. For the first time in a long while, he feels a little spark of hope.

x.x.x.x

“So what’s this place exactly?” Zayn asks.

Liam’s already parked his car and they’re headed inside a building that looks really discrete. “You’ll find out.” There’s a smile tainting his voice, and he’s really excited about showing this to Zayn. He figures he should return the favor given Zayn had been open with him by taking him to his favorite spot. Zayn may like the small cafe, but what’s inside makes Liam feel better. It’s probably really corny, and Zayn may laugh at him for it too, but just as the river makes Zayn peaceful, this makes Liam feel wonderful too.

As soon as they’re inside, Liam ends up paying for their tickets, despite the Zayn claiming he’ll take care of it. But Liam shakes his head, takes his hand and tells him to come along.

They go through a set of double doors first before Zayn picks up on where they are. It’s not overly chilly, but there’s a coolness in the air that Zayn soon places due to the water that rests high above their head, along with the various species of fish and other creatures that are swimming alongside the glass.

“You brought me to an aquarium?” Zayn looks up and all around, taking in the view. They’re in a circular tunnel surrounded by water that will eventually lead them to different areas and to different exhibits.

“Yeah, is it okay?” Liam does nothing but stare at Zayn, who he’s come to know over these past few weeks. They haven’t put labels on what they have although Liam knows that Zayn’s tried to ask him once or twice before he’d interrupted with some stupid commentary to distract him. It’s not like Liam’s afraid of commitment completely, but he wants to make damn sure before taking any big leaps.

A smile breaks out onto Zayn’s face before he glances over at Liam. His eyes sparkle, and Liam swears he looks like a child who’s just won a prize. “Liam, it’s wonderful.” He holds Liam’s gaze for a moment or two before he leans in and presses his lips against the side of Liam’s mouth. “I’ve ever been to one before.”

Liam tries his best not to hide his face, so he nods and looks forward before tugging on Zayn’s hand. “Good.”

“How’d you know about this place?” They walk down the tunnel at a slow pace because although Liam’s been here so many times before, he can’t help but stop and stare at the sea life around him. Zayn’s looking too, which only makes Liam feel good about his choice in their activities.

“My mother mostly. She’d bring me here when things got rough for me.” See, Liam’s found that he’s able to admit otherwise personal things to Zayn. It’s a weird occurrence given that he hasn’t even been this open with his friends. But Zayn’s a good listener. He may not have the best advice around, but he’s perfect for when things get deep, and Liam finds himself needing someone to lean on for once.

He just hopes he can be the same for Zayn.

“That’s cool. Wish I could’ve gotten to do stuff like this.”

Liam lingers on the thought of asking what Zayn means, but then Zayn’s tugging on his hand to pull him along. “Things were rough growing up. Money trouble mostly, but we made due. We’re good now, especially now that I’ve got a place to stay, and a job where I fit in perfectly.”

Once they exit the tunnel, they’re met with smaller aquariums that hold small fish that might otherwise be eaten by something bigger. The air is still cool, and the lights within the place have dimmed considerably so that the fish tanks glow a watery, ocean blue color. They reflect off the ground, creating white waves on the cemented floor.

“Zayn,” Liam calls as he watches the other male move forward to a tank that holds a colorful fish. Zayn just stares at it and hums whenever Liam says his name. “Can I ask you something?”

“Anything,” his voice echoes off the walls when he answers.

“What was it like...” Liam leans up against the rock-textured wall to look at Zayn who’s still eyeing all of the tanks. It takes a curious look from Zayn for Liam to finally finish what he wants to ask. “I mean, can you say you had a good experience finding out you were an Alpha?”

Zayn takes in the question and removes himself from the tanks. He walks near Liam, pushing softly at his shoulder so that his entire back is resting against the wall, where Zayn has him pinned so that he can’t escape the conversation. After all, Liam started it, and Zayn understands that Liam still harbors insecurities about this.

Zayn studies Liam before he delves into what he wants to express. “All I can say is that it was normal. One day I was a boy, and the next I was regarded as a man. I wasn’t praised for it nor was I deemed anything less. But my parents were happy. They didn’t know, of course; no one knows until we’re mature enough, but I’d say it was normal.”

Reluctance takes shape in Liam’s mind. It’s only fair to go on and explain his reason for asking. Zayn notices the way his eyes dim, not looking as bright as they’d both been when they entered the place. “You want to tell me what’s going on with you?” Zayn lifts a hand and nudges him from underneath his jaw which as Liam moving his head to stare at Zayn.

“I wish it’d been that simple.”

“You don’t have to tell me,” Zayn insists because he’d rather not force anything from Liam that he has no right to here unless otherwise deemed so.

“My mother used to bring me here,” Liam starts, wording his sentence as he’d done briefly before. “And she used to explain the hierarchy of fish. She’d tell me that the smaller ones weren’t as important as the bigger fish.” Liam glances around at the aquarium, briefly taking his eyes off of Zayn. “But even as I started to feel horrible about it, and that she was more or less using it as an analogy for me, she’d also circle it around and point out that looks are deceiving and that in reality, the bigger fish wouldn’t survive without the rest.”

“You do know fish eat other fish, right?”

Liam snorts out a laugh and pushes at Zayn’s chest. “Yeah, but it was the closest physical representation she could use to describe me. She said that even in a world where I wasn’t considered much, there’d be someone out there that needed me just as much as I did them.”

“She sounds wise,” Zayn replies. There’s a question burning at the tip of his tongue, and he has to find the right path in order to express it. “What’s this about, Liam?”

“I know you’ve been trying to ask me something, so I want you to go ahead and do it.”

Zayn pulls back from Liam, standing further away and scrunching up his face in uncertainty. “Are you sure? I could be asking anything of you, and you’re positive you know what it is?”

Liam pushes himself off the wall and pokes a finger into Zayn’s shoulder. “Don’t play games with me, Malik. I’m giving you the go ahead.”

“If I’m doing this, you have to promise that your answer will be yes.”

“I make no promises.” Liam eyes Zayn. His lips are not curved into a smile, but it shines through in his eyes regardless.

“Then I guess I won’t-”

“Promise,” Liam quickly says, hushing Zayn before he can say anymore.

Zayn finally lets the grin take over his face, and if that wasn’t dramatic enough, he takes a bow before Liam before standing up straight and speaking in an utterly formal voice. “Would you, dear Liam, do me the honor of being my boyfriend... officially.”

Liam remains silent, just watches Zayn being his quirky self before he speaks, “Eh.”

Zayn’s face falls in mock hurt. “But you promised!” He expands his hands out in a pleading motion.

“I know but-”

“Do I need to bribe you again?” Zayn waggles his eyebrows and steps forward, wrapping his hands around Liam’s waist.

“With what? A kiss?” Liam, being slightly taller of the two, has to look down at Zayn with an open expression of inquiry. He also allows Zayn to slot himself up against his body despite the fact that Liam knows if they stay like this, he’ll probably grow hard, and Zayn will most definitely find out.

Zayn laughs. “No. I was thinking more along the lines of ice cream, but if that’s your demand, I can’t think of a better way to seal the deal.”

Normally Zayn’s the first to take the plunge between the two of them - be it asking questions or speaking his mind without holding back, and it’s why Liam feels guilty sometimes because he’s not as hyperactive as Zayn tends to be when they’re together. So putting everything aside, Liam opts to adjust that, wants to work on it, and it starts now when he lifts up his hands to grab Zayn’s face to steady him while he leans in for a kiss.

It’s easy to say that Zayn isn’t expecting it because he makes a noise of protest as soon as Liam’s lips come in contact with his own, but then he relaxes and those hands wrapped around Liam’s waist, curl even further into the material of Liam’s clothing. It’s nothing overly subtle, but it isn’t harsh either. It’s meant to be a quick taste of the mouth more than anything, but Zayn eventually takes over and forces Liam’s mouth open and really going for it.

Needless to say, Liam’s not expecting it, but he doesn’t object because Zayn feels amazing pressed up against him so tightly. His mouth, and his tongue and fuck, his _scent_ smells amazing to Liam and in no time at all, he can feel the swelling in his jeans.

Liam’s the first one to pull back, completely breathless but happy. And when they finally pull apart to right themselves, they do it at the most opportune moment given that a family of five come walking in through the tunnel and over to the fish tanks. The head of the family, an Alpha, glances at the two of them with distaste, but Zayn only stares back until he’s tugging on Liam’s hand to continue on through the maze of sea life.

x.x.x.x

When Liam wakes up the morning of what would be another date with Zayn (and it’s hard to even call it that considering they’ve been talking any chance they get), he stumbles out of bed and barely makes it to the bathroom before collapsing. His heat, although not in full force as of this moment, is strong, and Liam knows that he won’t be leaving the house today. Instead, he settles for a bath, filling the tub with cool water that he soaks himself in just to relieve some of the pressure and warmth from his body.

As soon as Liam’s settled into the water, he rests his cheek against the side of the porcelain because it’s chilly and helps with cooling off a part of his face. He feels tired, and there’s a part of Liam that wonders what he looks like right now. There’s probably bags under his eyes, and he’s most likely paler than his natural skin color. Anything that happens to him is a side effect of his heat, including the fact that Liam feels the slick from between his ass cheeks. He’s able to self-lubricate and while it may be a bonus rather than anything negative, it still makes Liam uncomfortable when his heat gets so bad, he’s dripping wet and can’t do a damn thing about it aside from fuck himself on his fingers or one of the dildos he eventually had to buy just to escape from the nagging charge that surged through his body, telling him he needed to be fucked raw and knotted.

Liam breathes in as best as he can and slides a hand down his body until it comes in contact with his cock. He’s hard and with little to no difficulty, Liam pumps himself a total of two times before the bath water is stained white.

Licking his lips, Liam lets go of himself only to trail his hand down to his entrance. He runs his fingers over it, circling his hole before relenting and finally pushing in. Immediately, he feels himself clamp down around the intrusion, but he continues pushing his fingers in until they’re down to the knuckle. Currently, he’s not in a position to rub against that small bundle of nerves, but he slowly pulls his fingers out only to reinsert them with practiced ease. As he does so, he shifts, bringing his free hand around his cock, specifically the head. Liam has to pull back the foreskin in order to finger his slit, teetering on the edge of his next release. It doesn’t take him long to get there, spurts of cum coating his hand and again, staining the water. He doesn’t mind and doesn’t care because he’s gotten use to the mess that his heat brings.

Liam’s learned to live with it.

He could also probably bring himself to completion again, but doesn’t, not wanting to wear himself out already. Liam stays in the bath for a bit longer until his skin wrinkles, and he’s forced to get out because of the discomfort. All he does then is a wrap a loose towel around his waist, careful not to tighten it because he knows that while walking, the garment will surely add feeling to his already sensitive cock.

In the meantime, Liam calls in sick form work. He never directly states what’s wrong with him in fear of judgement, although there’s plenty of Omegas at the office anyway. Liam's always had a thing about it, an embarrassment of sorts because when he doesn’t come in to work, everyone might automatically assume what’s happening to him. It’s a natural body process, Liam has to remind himself, but even then, it’s nearly a public affair because the difference between the three types of people in the world is common knowledge, and Liam doesn’t think it’s unfair for him to want that part of his life to be kept to himself.

When he’s done with that, and he’s fixed himself something to eat. He debates on calling Zayn. Liam knows he’ll have to do it eventually but he’s not sure if he could own up to his issue without the proper pep talk.

In the end, Liam eventually pushes himself to dial Zayn’s number and is met with a sleepy, “Hello?”

“Zayn?” Liam asks. He’s nearly chewing on his lip right now and wonders how he’ll approach the subject. He can feel his entire body heating up again, and he knows that soon he’ll have to retreat into the bedroom for some more alone time.

“Liam? Hi.” There’s some shuffling on the other end of the line, and Liam instantly feels bad for calling right now. It’s just nearing noon, and it’s no wonder Zayn would still be asleep right now considering the time the bar opens and closes.

“Oh, I can call back. I’m sorry if I was interrupting something,” he hurriedly states.

But Zayn gives a soft laugh and says, “You’re fine. Woke me up, but I’m fine. You okay?”

And this is the moment that Liam’s tried to prepare himself for. It’s really not that big of a deal, and it shouldn’t be, but how weird is it to tell someone he actually likes and would probably like to keep around for a good while, that he’s going into heat, and they can’t see one another until it’s over? Liam’s also taken into consideration the fact that he could allow Zayn over. He could have him come to his place so they can have sex, but Liam feels that might be too soon and set on false pretenses, and as far as Liam can tell, Zayn’s a good guy. He just really doesn’t want to screw this up.

“Yes,” he starts but shakes his head until he notices that Zayn’s not actually here with him. “I mean, not really. Uh,” he trails off but not without growing frustrated with himself.

“Liam-”

“I’m in heat, Zayn,” he suddenly blurts out, eyes widening and a hand slapping over his mouth at being so blunt. “Sorry, oh god. Look, I meant to be a lot more subtle than this.” He laughs nervously and doesn’t allow for the male on the other end of the line to speak yet. “But well, it’s true, and I wanted to let you know that we’re not going to be able to go out tonight. I feel really bad, and don’t get me wrong either, okay? I was really looking forward to it-”

“Liam?”

“-but I should’ve said something because I knew it was coming, knew this would happen soon.”

“Hey, Liam,” Zayn’s voice carries over the line enough to attract Liam’s attention.

“Yes?”

“We’re good.”

Liam inhales sharply before breathing out. “Really?”

When Zayn answers back, Liam can tell there’s a hint of a smile in his voice. “Really. You take care of yourself, yeah? I’ll-if it’s okay, I’ll check up on you tomorrow then?”

Liam relaxes when he realizes that Zayn’s being sincere, and he can’t help but feel a bubble of happiness spread across his chest. “That’d would be great.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, I’d like that, Zayn.”

“Then I’ll talk to you soon?” Zayn asks after clearing his throat.

Liam smiles wide. “Definitely. Soon.” And he hangs up first, completely relieved at the turn of events. His mood doesn’t last him long though, given that he grows uncomfortably tight to the point where Liam has to drop the towel sitting around his waist and make his way to the bedroom and to his bed.

And as Liam lays down on his back, both hands inching towards the areas that need to be touched, the only thing on his mind is his never-ending release and the few moments he has of Zayn flashing across his closed eyelids.

x.x.x.x

Liam doesn’t know when he ends up falling asleep again, nor does he remember what time it is. He figures it’s late in the night, but there’s a knocking at the door that steadily has Liam realizing that the sun is shining through his curtains, and it’s a lot brighter out than it should be.

The knocking increases, and Liam scrambles to find some clothes to put on. He grimaces at the fact that he feels sticky and just all around gross from not having the chance to wash himself off again.

“Coming!” he calls before wincing at how that really sounded. He makes sure to shut his bedroom door and shake his hair out just to feel decently normal until he walks to the door and opens it.

Liam’s more or less surprised to find Zayn standing there leaning up against the edge of the doorframe with a plastic bag hung around his wrist.

“Hello!” he says cheerily, and Liam just looks at him with an odd expression. “Sorry. Remember how I said I’d check up on you? Yeah, I definitely tried that, but I wasn’t getting an answer when I called. So I figured I’d come over to see how you were doing.” Zayn smiles wide with so much earnest that Liam can’t help but look a little sheepish. “I also brought you some food.” Zayn then holds up the bag in his hand. “It’s take away given that I can’t cook for shit, but I thought you might be hungry.”

Liam does nothing but stare in a bit of awe. He thinks the worst of his heat is over with, but it won’t fully be gone for at least another two days. “You didn’t have to,” Liam comments.

But Zayn shakes his head. “No, but I wanted to.” There’s a pause afterwards, and Liam knows that Zayn’s waiting to be invited in but he hasn't had a chance to clean up the apartment, let alone any evidence that Liam had tried to fuck himself into oblivion just a few hours ago.

“Just, uh,” Liam pulls the door back, swinging it wide enough for Zayn to enter. “There are plates and stuff in the kitchen. I need to clean up a bit, you know.” He ducks his head expecting Zayn to be curious, but he doesn’t say a word; just steps through the threshold of the door and looks on with a smile. There’s no doubt in Liam’s mind that he can smell what’s left of Liam’s heat, especially the fact that the scent of Liam having to jerk himself off probably lingers about in the air as well, but Zayn doesn’t make a note of it, and Liam is more than grateful for the fact. It makes things less awkward for the both of them and settles Liam’s worry. “I’ll be right back.”

He leaves Zayn alone and curses himself as he makes his way to his room. There’s no way he has time to change the sheets, and even then it’s not as if they’ll be in here anyway. So Liam heads for the shower, scrubbing away everything as quickly as he can before he slips into a loose fitted t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants.

When he reenters the front of his apartment, he finds Zayn already on the couch, plates sitting on the coffee table and piled with food. He’s not eating yet, and Liam figures he’s waiting for him to join.

“What’d you get?”

Liam’s voice startles Zayn but he smiles nonetheless. “Chinese. Hope that’s alright?”

“Just about anything sounds good right now.” Liam licks his lips and makes his way over to the couch. He takes a chance and sits right beside Zayn, although not too close just in case.

Zayn ends up handing him his plate, and they both eat in silence until Liam’s nearly done with his all of his food. He’s not really paying attention to much else besides eating and making sure that his body is in check. He’s sure he’ll have another small wave hit him soon, and he’d rather be prepared for it rather than it happen suddenly while Zayn’s here.

“Hey, you okay?”

Liam sets down his eating utensil before placing his plate on the coffee table. He doesn’t feel like eating anymore and can't bring himself to face Zayn either. “Sort of,” he answers.

“Rough?”

Liam nods before sighing. “I deal with it.”

It goes silent again except for the noise that Zayn’s fork makes as it scrapes across his plate. He’s nearly done too, and Liam would rather have him stay but he’s never done this before and doesn’t know how to handle it. “You’ll probably have to leave soon,” Liam concludes. He swallows down the words he’d like to say after, ones consisting of asking Zayn to stay if he really wants to but that wouldn’t be the best course of action. Right now he feels not just out of place, but so out of his element given the situation.

“Sure, just let me know.”

“How are you okay with this?” Liam quickly asks. He’s not sure where he’s going with the question but it’s out before he can really think it through.

Zayn pauses, looking confused but speaking up with, “I’m not quite sure what you’re talking about.”

“With this!” Liam exclaims. “My heat isn’t over with, at least not until a couple of more hours, yet you’re sitting here like it doesn’t bother you.” There’s really no one reason that this small bit of unsettlement makes its way out from Liam’s mouth. He’s got no reason to fight and certainly doesn’t want to start anything either, but he’s truly confused, which obviously says a lot about the kind of people he’s seen around and how they've reacted to Liam and his natural state. But Zayn’s so casual and that, well, it’s not that it bothers Liam so much; he just wants to know _why_ and _how_.

Zayn sets down his plate and turns to face Liam, lifting one of his legs onto the couch while the other remains on the ground. He stares for a moment or two, purses his lips before nudging Liam to look at him. “I’ll admit, you’re not my first, Liam. But even then, it takes a decent amount of self control not to jump your bones, and despite what you think about Alphas, as I know you do with the way they've treated you in the past, not all of them are like that. I can’t say I’m perfect,” Zayn blinks, long eyelashes fluttering across his skin, “and I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t hard right now, but I figure that if we wait - if you want us, that is - that’ll be when I show you what I’m made of.” Zayn lifts up his hand and runs it down the side of Liam’s cheek until it comes to rest at the crook of his neck. He leans in too, nose rubbing up against Liam’s skin until he presses a kiss to his jaw line. “Trust me when I say that waiting is worth it.”

Liam shivers and turns his head as much as he can to look at Zayn. They’re so close, and Liam can smell his scent, his musk. It doesn’t take long for his dick to stir, swelling up and becoming hard. He breathes steadily and knows that just having Zayn’s touch has set him off early. He’ll have to take care of himself soon lest he make a fool of himself in front of Zayn, and that’s not something he wants at this moment.

“You’re most definitely worth it.”

Liam sucks in a deep breath at those words and has to close his eyes as Zayn finds his mouth and kisses him deeply. All too soon it’s over with when Zayn pulls back all the way and stands up from the couch. “I’ll see you soon, Liam.” He gives a final wave along with a twinkle in his eye before he heads out, walking towards the door before closing it behind him.

Liam stares at the door for a brief moment before he snaps out of it and quickly works his sweatpants off. Zayn’s scent still lingers in the air, twirling around Liam in a dance of desire. He figures he should be overly raw by now, having nothing left to give, but as soon as his fingers graze his leaking member, Liam cries out as he orgasms, cum dripping down onto the couch and the floor.

Liam can only imagine what it would be like if Zayn were still here. And that thought, needless to say, is what helps him through the rest of his heat.

x.x.x.x

Liam’s back at work two days later, and he feels completely refreshed. Despite what he thinks about the inconvenience of bodily functions, it also makes him feel better. The tension that builds up is suddenly gone, and he can’t help but notice that his body feels light and revived. It’s a bit much to say, but there’s nothing like the feeling of calming down from a high.

He’s also able to call Zayn back, properly thank him and return to normal living, which most definitely includes long work weeks and seeing Zayn any chance he can. Somehow, throughout this entire ordeal, it’s only made him closer with Zayn. He’s thankful for that, of course, and has grown to trust him on a much deeper level than he thought he’d ever possibly do with anyone that wasn’t his friend.

Liam feels like it’s safe to say that he’s happy, truly, wonderfully, fully happy for the first time in his life. And sure, that’s a lot of expectation to put solely on a relationship, but he can’t deny the fact that it makes him smile. Maybe he’s still in the honeymoon stages, but there’s something there with Zayn that he hasn’t felt with anyone else. So much so that he’s actually come to be glad for the interaction with that Alpha male all those weeks ago, because as Zayn had put it the second time they met, it’d been the perfect opportunity to introduce themselves to one another.

Of course, both boys end up going on several more dates. There’s more than just kissing because Liam finally allows more from Zayn. It’s nice to feel wanted, having someone who genuinely cares for his well being aside from his own.

Which is why about a month and a half later, when Liam feels the spark of his heat stir within the lower part of his belly, he reasons with himself that maybe he shouldn’t see this through alone. It’s a tough decision regardless of the fact that he trusts Zayn. He completely values him more than he thought possible, but Liam wants to know it’s right.

He lets those thoughts come to fruition, thinking about it more often than not, of course without telling Zayn exactly what’s on his mind. There’s a possibility Zayn may not be up for sex himself, but before Liam even asks Zayn, he needs to be okay with what he’s finally come to accept.

Liam’s an Omega, and Zayn is an Alpha. Both of that is clear, and while Liam had this crazy notion that he’d end up settling for a knot because there’d come a day he wouldn’t be able to handle his heat on his own anymore, he’s come to discern the idea that maybe that doesn’t have to be the case. Maybe the tide has changed. Liam’s more than a worrier, and maybe it’s a simple decision on anyone else’s part; he’s invested too much of his heart into the wrong places so it’d be quite unfair to judge his uncertainty.

But by the end of the week, when he feels his heat curling in stronger than it’s ever been before, Liam knows what he wants. He’s made up his mind, and the first chance he gets, he dials Zayn’s number and asks him to come over early, to forget their date in favor of hauling ass over to Liam’s place. He doesn’t explain, and he probably sounds too urgent, but as soon as the words are out of his mouth, Liam hangs up, strips and settles into his bed because even if Zayn doesn’t agree with this or doesn’t even want it, Liam’s in for a long night ahead of him.

It doesn’t take Zayn long to get to Liam’s home. And when he does, he’s nearly out of breath from running up the few flights up stairs. It’s more or a less the perfect conclusion that Zayn’s really taken with Liam, but he’d sounded desperate, and Zayn would be damned leaving him on his own.

When Zayn gets to Liam’s apartment door, he knocks. When there is no answer, he tries the door only to find it unlocked. Zayn pushes it open and lightly calls out for Liam. When there is no answer, again, Zayn steps all the way into the room before shutting and locking the door behind him. He calls out for Liam again, who still doesn’t answer until Zayn finds him in his bedroom after searching the place, sprawled out across the bed with nothing but a thin sheet covering himself. Zayn can clearly see the light perspiration that covers Liam’s skin, and the faint outline of his cock from underneath the sheet.

“Liam?” he whispers.

He’s heard the first time because Liam slowly opens his eyes to find Zayn standing on the other side of the room. There’s no doubt that he looks hesitant to step forward, but then Liam waves him over with tired eyes. His entire face is flushed, looking paler than normal, and his breathing is all over the place.

“Zayn,” he says, and pats the side of the bed.

Zayn has trouble doing as he’s asked. Just from looking at Liam, he can tell that he isn’t feeling well, but when he tries to take a step further, he’s hit with a scent that nearly makes him rock-hard in his jeans. His pupils dilate, and he can’t help but zero in on Liam with want. “That’s probably not a good idea,” he admits. Zayn grits his teeth and has to concentrate as to not be so utterly overwhelmed with the sudden instinct that has to take hold of him.

“It’s okay,” Liam reassures and pats the bed again.

Zayn takes that as his cue to listen, and when he gets near the bed, he doesn’t bother sitting down. He just stands at the end of the mattress because it’s not that he doesn’t trust himself right now, but Liam hasn’t exactly given him a reason as to why he needs to be here.

“Zayn, I want this, now get over here.” His tone is stern and demanding, but Zayn doesn’t listen until Liam frowns at him.

“Are you asking-”

“Why the hell do you think I called you over here?”

Zayn huffs. “I can sit with you; bring you a washcloth or something.”

But Liam shakes his head, “No. I want this, and if you want it too, I’ll let you.” He manages to sit up in bed, the sheet pooling around his waist but Zayn just looks away, not quite sure what to make of this offer.

“Liam,” Zayn begins, but he doesn’t know what to say. He truly doesn’t because he doesn’t even know what’s holding him back.

“If you’re wondering whether I’ve done this before, I haven’t. You’d be the first,” Liam admits.

Zayn tenses up at the admission, which doesn’t help settle his mind on the matter. “And you want me for this? Why?” He’s being difficult, but he thinks it should be expected. The room is filled with a scent that Zayn would love nothing more than to drink up and take. It might be affecting his senses in so many different wants, but the most important thing right now is Liam, to make sure that he’s not just going along with it for the time being.

Liam breathes in deeply before snapping his fingers to get Zayn’s attention. “Zayn, I’ve finally found someone I care enough about for this. I’m not just giving it up because it’s gotten to me. Hell, if that were the case, I could’ve called anyone but you.” His brow furrows together, and Liam looks mildly dejected. “If you’re not going to help, then leave because it’s beginning to hurt, and I have to take care of this.”

At the mention of that, Zayn quickly looks over at Liam. “It’s painful?”

Liam looks up at him questioningly until he shakes his head. “I thought you knew this?”

“Just because I’ve been with someone doesn’t mean I know how an Omega works completely. I’ve been told the same, Liam. I knot until they’re satisfied.”

And Liam feels like crying out right now because it’s not overly painful in the sense of actual hurt that brings tears - like a knife wound or a stump of the toe - but it’s more or less something that causes him to whine and beg. It’s a need and an itch that won’t ever be settled unless someone mates with him or if he waits it out. And as of late, each individual heat he’s had has been getting stronger. He chalks it up to putting off being with someone for so long, but he knows that isn’t the case. Zayn’s become someone close to Liam, and he’s an Alpha, no less. His body is only reacting naturally because it senses what Liam really wants, and what he’d really like is Zayn. Not just for times like this, not just for the one thing that will temporarily relieve him until the next wave hits, but he’d like Zayn next to him in bed on days where he’s not out of his mind and covered in slick wetness from heat. He’d like Zayn at his best and at his worst and everything in between.

Although most importantly, he wants Zayn to know that he’s trusting him with this, that he hadn’t called just to help him out with his own issues, but to prove that Zayn means more to Liam than he’d initially thought.

“You trust me?” Zayn asks as he begins removing his jacket and his shoes.

Liam watches him in silence until Zayn’s only left in his jeans and boxers. “Yes,” he says. “Yeah, I trust you.” He continues gazing at Zayn as he eventually shrugs of his pants, watching as he tosses them aside. Eventually his boxers slide down his legs too and land on the ground, only for Zayn to step out of them. Liam eyes every inch of him until he finds Zayn’s cock, which is hard and pressed up against his belly. He can see the base of Zayn’s member, where the knot rests, and if Liam wasn’t already wet enough, he’s sure he’d be able to feel the moment it’d happen.

“Turn around for me, Liam,” Zayn states. He twirls a finger around before adding, “on your hands and knees.”

Liam obeys; more so because he’s finally going to get what he’s had in mind all day long and not because Zayn’s an Alpha and the instinct to listen is supposed to be within him. He’s sure he’ll save that for another time, quite enjoying the fact that Zayn may be a little too bossy for his own good.

The sheets slide off of Liam’s body as he twists his body around. He ends up on his knees first before leaning forward and bending over with his arse in the air. His backside is directed at Zayn on purpose, but he holds himself in place until he hears the sharp intake of breathe. He can’t imagine what this must be like for Zayn because as much as it runs in Liam’s veins to be knotted, it’s said that an Alpha is made to _want_ to fulfill the need of an Omega.

It takes a couple of seconds for the air to shift, Liam recognizing that Zayn’s moved forward. The bed then dips, and he shivers when a hand comes in contact with skin.

Zayn drinks up the sight before him, mouth going dry and wanting to taste it all at once. “Spread your legs a little wider, babe,” he asks. And again, Liam does so. “Just go with me on this, okay?” Zayn says. “I promise I’ll take care of you.” His voice is low and nearly sultry, and just the fact that he’s touching Liam makes it all okay.

Zayn uses both of his hands to spread Liam’s arse cheeks ever so slightly. The smell of heat is overwhelming and before he knows what he’s doing, he leans down, tongue darting out to lick a strip up Liam’s ass. Liam clenches, his entrance tightening itself while Zayn swirls his tongue around it until Liam finally releases and sighs with some kind of relief. When he does so, Zayn goes further by pushing in and slightly tongue-fucking him. His hands remain on Liam’s ass, squeezing and rubbing until he pulls back to lick his lips.

Despite the added moisture from Zayn’s spit, Liam’s already slick with wetness, the shine just sitting on the rim of his hole. Zayn gently fingers it this time by running the tip of his thumb in circles around the glistening opening before pushing in further. His thumb sinks in, the nail disappearing from sight which only causes Liam to snap his eyes shut and squeeze them tightly in pleasure.

“Zayn,” he whispers, having a hard time even thinking clearly, “Please, Zayn. _Please_.” He wiggles his ass, cock slightly bouncing from in between his legs and balls heavy and ready for release.

“You’re sure?” Zayn asks. His thumb is still inside Liam, but he can’t bring himself to do anything else because Liam’s so pliant and resting on fours. His arse is leveled up, the perfect height for Zayn to slip in right behind and enter Liam so quickly. “Liam, listen,” Zayn urges. He slowly slips his finger out of Liam but pets at his entrance. He’s teasing him more than he probably should be if he wants Liam to hear him, but Zayn’s nearly out of it as well and would more than love to settle both of their cravings. “You have to be okay with this. Once I knot, we’re not going anywhere. You understand that, right?”

Liam steadily breathes in and out, his chest finding a rhythm of its own. He opens his eyes quickly and brings an elbow underneath himself so he can lift his upper body just enough to turn around and look at Zayn. “I’m sure,” he says sounding as sincere as possible. Zayn knows he’s never done this before, and Liam's more than happy that he’s being considerate, but right now, Liam just needs Zayn, needs his knot, and he’s more than capable of dealing with any pain that might be associated with it.

Zayn licks his lips and nods once before Liam allows himself to fall back onto the mattress. “Now, c’mon.”

Zayn does as he’s told. He quickly wraps a hand around his dick and sits up so that he’s on his knees before moving in closer to Liam. He works his hand over his member until he’s close enough to Liam for the head to come in contact with Liam’s hole. At the feeling, Liam pushes back. He’s sensitive and aside from his entrance puckering up and releasing more wetness that travels down his skin, he waits patiently for Zayn to finally make himself at home.

A hand wraps itself around Liam’s waist, holding him in place. Soon he begins to feel Zayn enter him slowly. He’s more than ready, and while he’d like for the other lad to push himself in harder, he waits patiently for Zayn’s dick to slide in so easily.

A groan escapes both parties when Zayn finally bottoms out. His knot rests just outside of Liam’s entrance given that it hasn’t expanded just yet. When Zayn pulls back and pushes back in for Liam to get a feel of what this is going to be like, said boy _moans_ , fingers curling into the bed sheets as his insides clench up around Zayn. It’s a clear sign that he’s just cum, although it’d been dry, but it has Zayn realizing just how badly Liam needs it.

Zayn goes slow at first, just thrusts in and out every so softly to build up pleasure. It only helps that Liam doesn’t say a word except for his little sounds that Zayn’s able to drag out of him already. It makes him push in further, really angling his hips in order to brush over that sensitive spot inside. Liam’s buzzing with feeling, but it’s not enough to bring him over the edge again.

“Zayn,” Liam speaks up. Zayn halts his movements and softly caress Liam’s backside. He has a hard time taking his eyes off of where his dick is swallowed up by Liam’s pink hole. It’s wet with slick and has Zayn trying to swallow with difficulty at the sight. “ _Fuck_ , Zayn. I want it now.”

Liam pushes back his arse as he’d done before, knocking into Zayn’s hips. The other lad only grins down at Liam, still pushed firmly inside and towering over Liam’s form. It’s such a position of dominance, and Zayn knows that he’s more than grateful that Liam’s allowing him this much. As much as Alphas may take, Zayn thinks it’s more desirable when an Omega opens up willingly, when they want to spread themselves open and are begging to be fucked.

“What do you want, Liam?” Zayn asks politely. He decides to play tease regardless of the fact that he knows Liam’s at his wits end. “I want you to tell me what you want.”

Liam tries his best to glance back at Zayn with a hard stare, but it ends up softening when he sees that Zayn’s not playing around. “I want your knot, Zayn. _Please_. I want you-you to fill me up.”

As Liam explains, Zayn trails a hand down towards Liam’s balls. “Hmm,” he sounds off. “Go on.” He holds them in his hand, thumb circling around them and feeling the texture and the heat that they give off. When Liam doesn’t continue, Zayn only trails his fingers down Liam’s cock slowly until the tip of his finger is playing with the slit of his dick, pressing in deep and massaging the pre-cum onto his fingers. “Liam,” he sing-songs.

“Shit, okay.” Liam visible swallows before taking a deep breathe. He shifts around a bit in order to prove that he wants what Zayn has before answering. “Need you to fucking _breed_ me, Zayn.”

Zayn’s grin only widens. His hand is still on Liam’s cock until he tugs on it to add to the extra bit of pleasure Liam’s already in. “I see.” When he finally removes his hand, he brings it around Liam’s body so that it’s nestled over the lower part of his stomach. He pets the area of skin there and despite the weird angle he's having to lean in, he makes sure that Liam can see him when he opens his mouth and says, “You want me to knot you and fill you up, yeah?” He waits for Liam to nod in approval before continuing. “Which means you want me to knock you up, babe? Tummy big and swollen full of pups, is that it?”

Liam gasps out before his teeth find his lower lip. He bites down so hard, he thinks he might draw blood and he can only answer with a _oh god, yes, Zayn._

“So, sweet Liam likes a bit of dirty talk, hmm?” Zayn asks. There’s a curve to his voice, one that makes him sound that much more mischievous and deadly. At this point, he quickly pets at Liam’s stomach again, trailing his fingers through the curls of hair that rest just above his cock, before leaning over the other lad. He ends up draping his entire body over Liam’s back so that his mouth comes in contact with his neck. He mouths at the skin for moment, twisting his tongue over the heated skin before speaking in a whisper. “You like it when I push into you then?” His hips buck forward as he speaks, which leaves Liam gasping and nodding.

“Yeah. _Yes_ , Zayn.”

Zayn grins against Liam’s skin. “So you wouldn’t mind me knotting you then? Wouldn’t mind me tying myself to you for a good while so that my cum fills you up? You'll end up leaking."

Liam whimpers and clenches around Zayn who only continues to slowly fuck into Liam. He can feel his knot expanding ever so slowly, and when he pulls out fully one last time and enters, he stays here, gripping Liam’s hip to hold him still while he slowly slides in further than he’d gone before. “Just relax,” he breathes against Liam’s neck, kissing the area again. As he continues pushing in further, Liam tenses every so often, but Zayn continues quietly talking to him as he goes deeper, until his small, barely there knot begins to slide into Liam’s hole.

“So big,” Liam mumbles. His eyes are still shut, and his head is resting on a pillow Zayn insisted he use.

Zayn chuckles though as soon as he’s pushed himself into Liam all the way. “It’s gonna get much bigger, Li. You think you can take it?”

Liam rapidly nods but doesn’t say much else. He waits for Zayn to pull away from him, grab his hips with both hands and _fuck_ into him so hard that his body surges forward. Zayn doesn’t apologize either, and Liam wouldn’t want him to because he’s just so big, and Liam knows that Zayn has yet to get bigger.

Because he’s never done this before, never been properly knotted, Liam’s not sure what all it will take for Zayn to finally tie with him, but he waits it out, moans and begs and pleads with Zayn to fuck him. The scent of sex is in air, very distinct and enticing to both boys. The slapping of skin on skin fills the room too, along with the sound of Zayn grunting as he continues to pound into Liam.

“Liam,” Zayn growls out. His hands dig into Liam’s skin just enough that it causes him to wince, but he doesn’t protest. And eventually he positions himself over Liam’s body again, back to chest, just to feel closer to him than he already is. “Liam, I’m gonna...”

He trails off and when he does, Liam feels the knot catch his rim so suddenly that his eyes nearly roll into the back of his head in pleasure. Zayn grows so much bigger that it feels as if Liam’s being split in two. It’s an ache but the need for the knot soothes the discomfort, and Liam _mewls_ as he both hears and feels Zayn cum. It takes less than five seconds for Liam to follow Zayn over. His balls tighten up until he releases thick strands of spunk onto the mattress without having being touched. Liam knows he’s still sensitive, but that doesn’t stop him from reaching around and grabbing one of Zayn’s hands. He guides him to Liam’s dick, where Zayn eventually gets the hint and wraps his entire fist around Liam.

Liam can’t help but buck forward at the contact, dick wet and still hard from needing to release. When he does so, it ends up pulling at the knot causing both Zayn and Liam to hiss in discomfort. It’s also the truest sign to Liam that they’re both well and truly tied together and there is no way he can back out now.

Liam can still feel Zayn cumming inside of him. It’s small spurts of cum that will eventually build up until Liam’s arse is filled with Zayn’s seed. “C’mon, Zayn. Please.” He swivels his hips and pushes back into Zayn, enough so for the other lad to get the hint. Zayn rocks his hips as well considering the fact that he can’t pull out, and even if he tried, it’d do more damage than anything good. As he does so, he also works Liam’s cock quickly. They’re both riding on a high, but Zayn knows that Liam’s nowhere near done, just as he’s not sure when his knot will finally drop in size so he can eventually pull out.

It takes less than a minute for Zayn to have Liam cumming again. It’s not as overly wet as the first time, but it’s just enough that Zayn gathers as much of Liam’s semen in his hand. He brings his arm forward, fingers coated in white until he’s nudging at Liam’s mouth. He opens it eagerly, allowing Zayn to slip his fingers inside, and once they’re resting against Liam’s tongue, he closes his mouth around Zayn’s thin digits to _suck_.

It’s warm and most definitely wet, and it gives Zayn all the more reason to literally grind his hips against Liam’s ass which helps in him lightly tugging at his knot so Liam’s reminded that it’s still there. His thumb rubs at Liam’s cheek as he continues sucking, and he wonders what it would be like to have that mouth around his dick, wonders what it would be like if Liam could take his knot too, mouth wide and pink around his cock as Zayn cums continuously. It’d force Liam to drink him down and suck him dry, and if there’s any indication by the way that Liam still continues to mouth at Zayn’s fingers although most of his spunk must be swallowed by now, it’s the fact that Zayn doesn’t think Liam would have any problem in sucking down every last drop Zayn would have to offer.

Just the thought of it has Zayn pulling back his hand with Liam whining but letting go reluctantly. “Still hard, Zayn,” he says.

And when Zayn reaches down again to feel Liam up, he finds that he’s right. “So pretty like this, Li; you taking it all and _still_ begging for more. Maybe you should’ve done this a long time ago.”

Liam’s eyes snap open at those words, and he makes a point to sit up as best as he can to stare a Zayn. “No one’s ever given me a reason to,” he snarls. It’s a completely new side to him, one that has Zayn narrowing his eyes, wrapping his hand around Liam’s dick quite tightly before jerking him off. It causes a slip up in Liam’s demeanor and a laugh from Zayn.

He continues to buck his hips as best as he can into Liam, making him feel every inch of him regardless of the fact that he can’t go any further. Zayn also proceeds to quickly play with Liam’s dick, eventually coursing another orgasm out of the younger lad. His load is even smaller than the times before it, but it’s still no doubt a sight to see and something to feel too because every time Liam climaxes, he clenches up and manages to force even more cum out of Zayn.

At this rate, Zayn doesn’t know how long this will all last, but he figures it’s going to be a long night. Liam soon whines that his knees are beginning to hurt, and they both have to carefully move on their sides so that Zayn is spooning Liam, pressed up against his back. He’s closer than he was just moments ago, and it allows Zayn to wrap a hand around Liam’s waist and calmly palm at his dick. It isn’t as hard as it was before, but it’s enough for Zayn to bring out another orgasm from Liam. The other lad moans and claws at the bed, at the sensation of being sated. This time, it’s completely dry and when Zayn continues to fist Liam, he has to tell him to stop because he’s too sensitive to handle any more at this moment.

“You’re going to be sore,” Zayn whispers in his ear, as if Liam didn’t know that already. He’s even more sweaty than he was before at the start of this, but Zayn just wipes what he can away from Liam’s forehead, pushing away at the hair there and feeling how the heat of his skin seems to have cooled off.

“It’ll be fine,” Liam says, voice utterly dry. He sounds tired and worn out. “Do you know how long?”

Zayn begins to shake his head until he realizes that Liam can’t see him. Before he answers honestly, he reaches down between the two of them to feel around Liam’s ass, pressing his fingers against the bulge of his knot that sits just inside the rim of Liam’s hole. It still feels swollen and tight, and Zayn can’t help but think of how Liam’s arse will look after this too, when he’s able to pull out completely. Surely there will be cum leaking, dripping out from a raw, pink, used hole that will eventually slick up again to the point where Liam will need to be filled once more.

“It’ll be awhile yet,” Zayn answers. He’s truly not sure. The timing is always different. “You better get some rest.” He presses a kiss against Liam’s neck where he’d been mouthing at it earlier. Liam only nods before he’s fast asleep, leaving Zayn to his thoughts and tied to Liam.

During this time, he calms himself down and realizes he wouldn’t have this any other way. Zayn buries his face into the crook of Liam’s upper back while tightening his arm around the other lad. He tries to fall asleep as best as he can, and when he does so, he manages to wake up not long after to find that he’s completely soft and able to slip out of Liam with ease.

Of course, there’s stickiness, and it’s all unpleasant, but Zayn makes due by finding the bathroom on his own while letting Liam rest. He cleans himself up and manages to take care of Liam as well, doing his best not to irritate his hole as much as it’s already been through. When he’s done, he settles back into Liam’s side, taking him in his arms and finally feeling a comfort that he’s long been missing.

Sometime during the night, Liam wakes up again in need, and Zayn’s there for him, entering him slowly and helping Liam through the rest of his heat. He’s careful with him the second time, going slower than before and pushing the small of his knot in first so that he’s completely nestled inside. Liam helps out by grinding back against Zayn and resting a hand over Zayn’s that's curled around his cock. They’re both able to bring him to completion, Liam tensing up as he spills over in complete awe, feeling much better than he had just a few hours before.

When he’s nearing another orgasm, that’s when Liam breathes out a _thank you_ , to which Zayn responds by grabbing Liam’s chin in his hand in order to bring their mouths closer together. It’s the first real kiss they have that night, and despite its awkward angle, Liam eventually cums again, tongue deep in Zayn’s mouth, jizz spilling over onto their hands and the bed sheets. Zayn manages to pull another orgasm himself before they’re both tired.

But even if they have to wake up again sometime in the early morning, Liam knowing that this will be the end of his heat for quite awhile, he can’t help but think it couldn’t have been any better than this, to be disproven that maybe it wasn’t his luck that had been out of shape, but that he hadn’t met the right person yet to feel comfortable enough with.

He’d found it in the form of an Alpha bartender, who’d been too cocky and too nice for his own good, that had managed to win Liam over with more than a smile, but words of wisdom and a cheekiness he hadn’t found in anyone else.

Liam ends up asking Zayn to stay and not just for the rest of the day. He looks him in the eye, laying sprawled out on his bed, fingers grazing over every tattoo that litters Zayn’s tanned skin, and asks him if he’ll stick around for good. There’s vulnerability in Liam's eyes and nothing like the kind he had presented Zayn with by being so open about sex, but it’s something else, something deep that stirs a feeling within Zayn's chest.

It's words he's not sure he should be allowed to say right off the bat, considering the time that they’ve known one another, so Zayn keeps them locked up inside for another day. Instead he simply answers with an earnest, “Yes.”


	2. always love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> zayn likes to make sure liam’s well taken care of before his heat hits, but even then, they don’t expect it to happen early.

There is only one person in the world that would have Zayn up this early in the morning, and as of right now he’s still in bed. Zayn doesn’t have the heart to wake Liam just yet, and instead favors leaning against the threshold of the door so that he can watch as the Omega sleeps.

Currently Liam’s lost in his dreams, wearing nothing but boxers and one of Zayn’s t-shirts. The sheets are pooled around his legs, with his face buried into a pillow. Zayn has half a mind to get back in bed and brush his fingers through Liam’s hair, especially with the way that it makes the other lad look so much younger, but he can’t do that just yet. He can only smile and feel his heart swell with love.

Eventually, Zayn sighs, knowing he’s going to have to do the inevitable. “Liam,” he calls softly, hoping to bring Liam to consciousness without startling him too badly. His bare feet pad against the carpet as he makes his way over to Liam’s side of the bed, sitting down and gently shaking him awake.

When Liam moves, rousing from his sleep, Zayn leans down and presses kisses all over his cheeks. “C’mon babe. I made you breakfast,” he says with a grin.

But Liam swats at him and groans. “What time is it?” he mumbles, cracking an eye open just enough to see Zayn above him.

Zayn’s smile grows. “You’ve got about an hour and a half before you gotta leave for work. Eat with me, yeah?”

“What’s the catch?” By now, Liam has both eyes open, but he yawns, and Zayn has to hold back laughter because he’s absolutely adorable.

“No catch,” Zayn says. “Just wanted to do something nice.”

The mock frown on Liam’s face causes Zayn to lift his eyebrows, but Liam’s wariness doesn’t last long as he finally relents. “Alright, okay. What’d you fix?” He shoves at Zayn’s shoulder, hoping he’ll move back so that he can sit up.

“Give me a sec, and I’ll go get it.”

“Breakfast in bed?”

Zayn nods and leaves the room quickly, trying his best to set everything he’s made onto a tray to take back to Liam. However, just as he’s about to finally give in and make two trips, Liam enters the kitchen and picks up a plate. “S’okay, Zayn. I got it.” He’s still sleepy looking, rubbing his eye with the back of his hand, and before Zayn can protest, he’s already heading towards their room, knowing Zayn will instantly follow.

He’s able to carry everything else quite easily, waiting until Liam gets in bed properly before setting down the tray. “Did you cook these yourself?” Liam asks incredulously.

Zayn coughs as he takes a seat on the bed, moving closer to Liam. “Whether it’s edible or not, we’re going to find out, but at least they _look_ like pancakes, right?”

Liam snorts and leans against Zayn’s shoulder as he cuts up the food. Zayn wants to tell him to wait so that he can try out the food first just in case it’s deadly, but Liam’s tongue pokes out first before sticking the fork into his mouth and grinning. “S’good.”

“Really?” Zayn asks, surprised. He takes a bite of his own food and is met with both vanilla and sweet flavors. “I should do this more often then,” he says around a mouthful of food.

Liam looks up at him with a pointed glare that causes Zayn to blush. “Sorry, chew and swallow first; got it.”

They sit in silence after that, with Liam still leaning up against Zayn, his head resting on his shoulder while they both eat. It’s not until Liam’s partially done that he stirs, deciding that he needs something to down the stickiness in his mouth. He manages to take a swig of orange juice before glancing at Zayn with purpose. “Is this about tomorrow?” he murmurs.

Zayn pauses, eating utensil halfway to his mouth before he drops it and sighs. He’s got a bit of a guilty expression on his face. “Kind of,” he admits. “I know how you get, Liam, and I wanna make sure you’re properly taken care of before your heat hits.”

“You know I’ve been doing this for years now, right?” And as soon as Liam says that, he flinches at how harsh it sounds. He’s still getting used to the fact that Zayn’s here for him, wanting to make sure he’s okay. Liam doesn’t fully understand the need Zayn has to go out of his way to make sure Liam is safe, but he tries his best. So instead of waiting for Zayn to answer and feel even more guilty about his tone, Liam quickly continues, “I'm sorry. I know you worry, but you do enough already. If anyone needs to be getting ready it’s you; you should be sleeping.”

“Are you trying to tell me that I can’t keep up with you, Liam Payne?” Zayn looks mildly offended, but the way that the corners of his mouth twist upwards say otherwise. “I’ll have you know that I _can_. Otherwise you’d be complaining.”

Liam purses his lips. “I dunno about that, Zayn,” he says warily, sparkle in his eye. “Last time you looked like you were about to give up. Getting old on me, are you?”

Zayn tilts his head, moving his plate aside before making a quick decision to pounce on Liam. His mouth ends up at the crook of Liam’s neck, while his hands go to Liam’s sides, tickling him until Liam’s bubble of laughter rings out. “Zayn, o-okay,” he breathes.

“Then take it back!” Zayn mumbles. He continues attacking Liam’s face with his lips, and although Liam’s trying to fight for the upper hand, he eventually gives in and giggles.

“Alright, alright,” he shouts, hands curling into the material of Zayn’s shirt. “You win.”

“Good.” Zayn nods, ceasing his attack on Liam. Although he leans down and presses a kiss to his forehead as Liam stares at him curiously, going cross eyed while doing so. “You’re warm, and have I mentioned that I like the fact that you’re wearing my shirt?”

Liam lowers his gaze, playing with the collar of Zayn’s own shirt, a light blush coloring his cheeks. “Smells like you,” he admits.

“Yeah?” Zayn can tell Liam’s shy now. He’s still not used to the idea that Zayn’s scent saturates his home when it’s only been Liam on his own for so long. It’s not something he disagrees with either though. Instead, Liam finds it exceptionally comforting when Zayn’s busy working, and Liam’s left alone to fall asleep at night.

“You smell nice though,” Liam claims.

Zayn nudges Liam, draws his attention back to the Alpha’s gaze. “I could say the same for you.”

Liam’s nose scrunches up. “Ugh, no.”

But Zayn’s chuckling. “I think it’s your heat though. I can smell it on you. S’nice too.” He leans forward again, nose nuzzling against Liam’s jaw until Liam relents and lets Zayn kiss him right on the mouth. It’s soft and slow, and Liam ends up moaning when he feels Zayn’s hands slide over his body, but then he has a brief moment of clarity and pulls back.

“Zayn,” he whines. “We gotta wait, yeah? Plus I have work. I’ll be late.”

Zayn just pouts, but Liam doesn’t relent. “Alright, okay. You go get dressed then, and I’ll clean up.” He pushes himself off Liam so that he can help the Omega up before Liam’s pulling him into another kiss.

“Just a couple of hours, yeah?” He grins wide, cheeks big and eyes crinkled before leaving Zayn alone to deal with what’s left of breakfast

x.x.x.x

Zayn ends up spending the rest of his morning napping while Liam’s at work. By the time the other lad gets back, Zayn will be heading out where he’ll only work a few hours before coming home early, just so he can get some rest before Liam’s heat is supposed to set in.

However as he’s in the closet and picking out a set of clothes to wear, he hears the front door open and close before a shout is heard.

“Zayn?”

It’s Liam, who’s definitely not supposed to be home right now. So Zayn exits the room to meet up with his boyfriend. “Babe?” He ends up rounding the corner and almost running into Liam. The Omega nearly loses his balance until Zayn steadies him, taking in Liam’s disheveled appearance. Typically Zayn would ask what’s wrong, but he can smell Liam’s heat so strongly that his pupils dilate. It takes him a minute or so longer not to be drawn to it, knowing he’s got to concentrate on Liam instead of the aroma so he can find out if Liam’s okay.

“S-sorry,” Liam says. He blinks a view times before his hands curl around Zayn’s arms.

“Shit, Li,” Zayn breathes. “Why didn’t you stay home?”

Liam ends up crowding Zayn, whimpering and tugging on him although Zayn’s trying to talk to him. “I thought we had time,” he replies. “Didn’t think... didn’t _know_.”

But Zayn’s already nodding and working at Liam’s shirt, helping to peel it off so that he can get his hands on Liam’s skin. “Yeah, okay. It’s fine,” he reassures. “Let me help, yeah?”

By now, Liam’s clutching at Zayn’s clothing, head resting against his shoulder. “Zayn,” he says. “N-need you, please.”

Zayn’s nearly supporting them both, but he’s fine with that. In the meantime, he works at Liam’s pants, managing to get them down around the Omega’s thighs before he reaches into Liam’s boxers to feel him. A finger ghosts over Liam’s hole, where it’s instantly met with slick. “Shit, Liam. You shouldn't have left earlier.”

Liam just whines again, while trying to push back into Zayn’s touch. It feels good; so, so good, and he wants more.

Zayn’s working Liam into a frenzy until Liam pulls back to look at Zayn with glossy eyes. “Please, Zayn. Don’t tease.” His eyes close after that, trying his best to grind back on Zayn’s finger, but the friction isn’t there, and it’s not enough of what he needs. “‘M gonna keep begging; you know that.”

“Alright, yeah.” Zayn nods, mouth dry and trying to keep himself at bay. If given the chance, he’d take Liam right here on the floor, but the thought of them being tied together on carpet doesn’t sound too appealing, nor does Zayn think Liam would appreciate the rug burn.

He’s able to pull Liam off of him just enough so that he can help the both of them into the bedroom. He also makes a mental note to call into work at some point, but then Liam’s easily clambering up onto the bed, taking off the rest of his clothing and getting into a comfortable position. Zayn can only stare in awe as Liam does so, knowing that part of it’s Liam’s instinct, and the other half is what the Omega wants. Zayn’s dick swells when he notices the way that Liam instantly parts his legs then, so willing and trusting. He could so easily take advantage of that, but Zayn holds Liam so close to his heart, holds his trust to the very depths of his soul that he knows he’d never be able to cross him like that.

Although now isn’t the opportune moment to get sentimental because Liam calls out for Zayn, snapping him out of his gaze, where he remembers that he’s now currently the one overdressed.

Zayn’s out of his clothes in less than a minute, finding his spot on the bed in between Liam’s legs. They’re spread wide and inviting, cock laying heavy and plump against the lower part of Liam’s abdomen. Zayn would very much like to take it into his mouth, but Liam’s lips look a lot more enticing, so he goes in for a kiss first. “What do you want, babe?”

Liam smiles wide, still hazy and driven with need. “Anything, Zayn,” he replies, reaching a hand up to briefly run it through the Alpha’s hair. He tugs at the ends of it now that it’s rumpled and messy.

“Can I suck you first?” Zayn asks, peering down at Liam with a soft smile. He knows Liam will need his knot soon, but he’d like Liam to enjoy himself further than just Zayn’s cock. “Is that okay?”

The Omega nods quickly. “Yeah, yes. As long as you’re in me soon, please.”

“Of course,” Zayn insists, leaning down to press a kiss against Liam’s jaw. “Anything for you.” Zayn slips down Liam’s body, pressing light kisses amongst the flushed skin until he gets to Liam’s hips. One hand rests just on Liam’s thigh, holding it in place and kneading the skin while the other trails down to the base of Liam’s cock. Zayn takes a tentative lick, eyes remained focused on the Omega before him. Eventually his licks get longer, tongue trailing the underside of Liam’s prick, all the way to the tip where he pulls back the foreskin, tongue flicking out once again to taste the droplets of precum leaking out.

Liam is both a mix of salt and and heat, and Zayn closes his eyes when he takes the tip of the cock into his mouth, suckling and drinking Liam down. It’s only when he hears Liam’s soft mewls does he inch down further, taking more of Liam into his mouth. The weight of the Omega’s dick on his tongue has Zayn reeling; it’s something Zayn figures he should do more often just for the sake of it. If Liam’s noises are anything to go by, it wouldn’t be too much to say that Liam wouldn’t object to the idea either.

When Zayn goes down as far as he can without choking, he works the base of Liam’s member with his hand, fingers wrapped around it solidly while his mouth moves slowly, almost effortlessly. His lips are a mess of spit and precum, but he continues to bob his head to the tune of Liam’s moans.

At some point, one of Liam’s hands find their way into Zayn’s hair. He doesn’t mind, especially when Liam tugs on the strands and bucks up into Zayn’s mouth. It has him fully hard at this point, tasting and touching Liam like he is. Zayn removes his other hand from Liam, placing it towards the other lad’s entrance, swirling a finger around the Omega’s damp, pink hole until he pushes in. His finger slides in so easily that Zayn goes ahead and adds another.

With the combination of stimulation, Liam’s noises turn into soft mumbles. Zayn can’t do much but continue his ministrations, but he knows that if his mouth weren’t so stuffed full of cock, he’d be smiling and teasing Liam with words.

“I’m gonna... _Zayn_ ,”  Liam cries. It’s a quick warning, but Zayn’s expecting it as he adds a third finger into Liam’s heat. After that, it doesn’t take long to coax Liam’s first orgasm from him, Zayn sucking down as much of Liam as he can get, while crooking his fingers just right in order to rub over that sensitive bud inside him.

Liam tries to warn him again, but it falls short as his hand curls into Zayn’s hair, tugging as hard as he can and cumming down Zayn’s throat again.  Zayn, on the other hand, pulls himself back so that his red lips are just around the head of Liam’s cock. He tongues at the slit, tasting the cum as it fills his mouth. And as soon as Liam is done, Zayn swallows, working his hand over the rest of the member until he pulls off completely.

“Maybe we should keep track of how many times I’m able to get you to cum while in heat. I’m quite sure we could work on breaking our record every go around,” Zayn remarks. His fingers are still knuckle deep in Liam, and although the Omega continues to cry out that he’s so sensitive, it only takes a direct nudge to those bundle of nerves before Liam’s cumming once again, coating his stomach in white.

Zayn quickly pulls his fingers out of Liam, bringing them to his mouth before sucking on each of them. He makes sure that Liam’s watching, eyes glazed and body spent. They both know that he’s nowhere near finished, but Liam takes the moment to breathe in and watch as Zayn’s cheeks hollow.

“That okay, babe?” Zayn asks softly. He moves forward, nestles his body directly on top of Liam’s before pressing his swollen lips against the Omega’s cheek. “That take off the edge?”

Liam only nods, leaning into Zayn’s touch, but also knowing that if Zayn doesn’t get in him soon, he’ll be writhing on the bed like a bitch. “Do you want me to suck you too, just for a bit?” Liam adds as an afterthought. Right now all he’s thinking about is himself, and it occurs to him that maybe Zayn might want Liam’s mouth on him too, but then Zayn’s shaking his head and lining himself up with Liam’s body before pushing in slowly.

Zayn watches as Liam’s mouth drops open, not having expected that so suddenly, but it feels good, feels great as Zayn pushes in firm. He bottoms out quickly, teeth gritting together and wanting to give Liam a few seconds to adjust. He’s never liked the idea of overwhelming Liam when they’re like this until he’s positively okay with what’s happening.

Eventually Liam sighs, relaxing his body into the bedsheets and reaching up to hold onto Zayn’s shoulder. “Feels nice,” he whispers, blinking up at Zayn before wrapping his legs around the Alpha’s waist. “You can move, yeah?”

So Zayn does; he starts off slowly, like always, building the friction between them and the heat until Liam literally can’t take it anymore. Those short, blunt nails, dig into Zayn’s skin, head tilting back and bearing his neck for Zayn to lean down and nip at. He sucks slightly at the indentations of the exposed skin, mouthing at Liam’s birthmark as he bucks his hips harshly into him.

They both moan, Zayn’s more muffled because of where his mouth is placed, but it feels good like this, resting just on top of Liam, being able to see his face and take in every bit of skin, every facial expression he has to offer. And sure, there’s nothing wrong with Liam on all fours, exposing his ass so Zayn can feel it up and cover Liam’s body with his own as he sinks in, but there’s something different, something special about the way that Liam likes it simple, likes it when the two of them are able to see each other’s faces in particular. “Good, Liam? Am I doing okay?” he asks just to be on the safe side.

Liam’s sighs should be enough for Zayn, but sometimes he likes loud confirmation from Liam. When he doesn’t get it the first time, Zayn really pulls back his hips, pressing them forward again until he sinks into Liam so deeply. He can also feel his knot, just resting outside of Liam’s rim, already quite thick. Zayn knows he’ll expand in just a few moments, but he’s trying to hold it off for Liam’s approval. However that doesn’t stop him from teasing Liam, pressing in just the lightest amount as if he’s about to push the thick base inside. Liam mewls, clutching Zayn’s shoulder and creating little indentations, but it’s not what Zayn wants.

“C’mon Liam,” Zayn starts breathlessly. “I know I haven’t fucked the words out of you yet.” He grins, brushes a hand over Liam’s face in order to gain his attention. “Or I could pull out right now, get myself off then. Would that be better if I didn’t knot you? I could cum all over you, cover you in white, Li.” His hips jerk as Liam tightens his legs around Zayn’s waist, but it’s still not enough as he looks down at Liam. “C’mon babe, I know it feels good, but I need you to tell me, yeah? Would you like if I did that, Liam?”

But the Omega just shakes his head rapidly. “No,” he says. “No, need you in me, to fill me up, make me _full_ , Zayn, yes.” It’s then that he reaches up for Zayn, bringing their mouths together in a hard kiss that is full of teeth and tongue as Zayn continues to thrust into Liam.

It’s not long before Zayn pulls back slightly, biting at his lower lip as he pushes his cock further into Liam than any other time before. His knot doesn’t slide in as easily, given that it’s slightly swollen, but Zayn continues pushing regardless, making sure he’s not hurting Liam until he feels it give and settle just past the rim of Liam’s entrance.

Liam must feel it too because he gasps, eyes going wide while licking his lips to wet them. Considering Zayn’s so close, Liam decides to press them against Zayn’s skin, mostly against his shoulder as he grasps tightly to Zayn’s body, feeling the way that his Alpha is carefully moving his hips, and ultimately his cock, with little thrusts. Zayn can’t move much now, not with the knot expanding, and just as Zayn feels it swell to full size, Liam reaches down for one of Zayn’s nipples, rubbing and rolling it between his fingers as Zayn finally gives in and cums deep within Liam.

They both feel it, although it’s a different sensation for the both. Liam can tell that the knot has catched, sending his brain into overdrive as he cums for the third time. The whiteness of his spunk bleeding out across his skin, but it also adheres to Zayn’s as well. Zayn, on the other hand, not only cums, but feels the tightness that Liam’s body offers. He can barely moves his hips anymore, taking to rotating them so that he doesn’t pull on the knot and hurt either of them.

As soon as they’ve both worked through their orgasms, Zayn nearly collapses on top of Liam save for the fact that he uses his forearms to brace himself. He also finds that Liam has his eyes closed but has a hint of a smile ghosting over his lips. “Was that okay for something last minute?”

Liam bursts into light laughter, the daze of heat now resting just on the outskirts of his veins. “Sorry,” he says. “I could’ve swore we had until tomorrow.” His fingers come up to brush away the hair that has fallen into Zayn’s eyes. “Thank you.”

Zayn shakes his head though. “Always, Liam,” he says. “Always for you.”

They stay in silence for a bit after that, Zayn eventually needing to move because his arms hurt. It’s a bit of a struggle to find a good position considering that Zayn’s still very much tied to Liam, but as soon as they’re both on their sides, pressed closely against one another with Liam’s legs tangled with Zayn’s, it’s all fine. Liam looks happy, has a glow about him that Zayn quite adores. And Zayn himself is glad that he can be of comfort to the Omega.

“You should probably sleep now,” Zayn remarks quickly, noticing the way that Liam’s eyes begin to drop. This phase of Liam’s heat had been mild considering it was only the beginning stages, and he knows that Liam won’t be as coherent later on.

“You too,” Liam speaks, pressing his face closely against Zayn’s collar bone. His scent is still overwhelming, knowing that it’d probably make his cock swell at a time like this if he weren’t already sated with the deep weight of Zayn’s knot in his ass.

Zayn’s able to sling his arm over Liam’s side, rubbing his fingers against his back before drifting off with the faint whisper of _four_ in his ear.


	3. sugar rush, candy crush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> being a male omega was normal, but frowned upon. liam knew that. he also knew that zayn didn’t care. however, it seems like things are out of his hands when he discovers that the treatment from his past might cause a rift in his future with zayn.

To say the least, the both of them have settled into a comfortable routine. Zayn’s made a home for himself in Liam’s apartment with various items of clothing finding their way into the closet and drawers. Liam doesn’t mind, of course. He likes the idea that Zayn has hope in the future of their relationship, and the ease of it settles a lot of Liam’s nerves. He still has doubts, absolutely. Zayn’s just so different than anything Liam would’ve typically gone for, but it’s opened him up in ways he never thought possible. Including the fact that Liam doesn’t worry so much about going out and being accosted, especially when Zayn’s with him.

Liam’s heard complaints about relationships before, territorial and no room to even breathe because possessiveness becomes a problem, but Zayn combats those rumors. Or, Liam thinks, he’s just become a little too cocky for his own good and knows that Liam will come right back to him. Which isn’t far off the mark either because Liam’s so far gone. That stupid smirk and boyish charm has made him feel better, protected.

The thing is, he gets used to it too quickly. It’s not that he expects anything major to change within their life, but it goes like this; Liam works in the morning to the evenings, which means that the only time he gets to spend with Zayn is when he comes home at three in the morning, or if he manages to wake up long enough to see Liam off. Zayn, on the other hand, goes in to work just around the time that Liam gets off from his job. Most days they’re able to see one another for a total of five to ten minutes before Zayn has to head off and won’t be back till early the next morning.

It sounds difficult, but it’s not. Especially considering that Liam’s taken to tagging along with Zayn to the bar, something he’d been hesitant about because he’d been afraid of becoming too clingy.

So, it's all routine at this point, the both of them settled, which also includes Liam’s heats being planned. He’s known his body for well over a couple of years that they’re both able to schedule days off to deal with it. And Liam’s found that he enjoys them a lot more than previously before. He honestly had no idea what he was missing out on in terms of taking an Alpha’s knot. Now, however, the thought doesn’t freak him out; rather it’s something he anticipates with newfound excitement.

Although Liam hasn’t taken into account that all it takes is one little slip up, and everything in their nice, little neat boat could be shaken. Which is why when he wakes up one morning to get ready for work, what he thinks is one little change in the normalcy of their lives, will, in fact, only lead to bigger issues.

He’s met with a hug from Zayn and a kiss to the neck as he stands next to the counter, quickly eating his breakfast. He tries to bat the Alpha away, but Zayn only clings to him, looking tired with his hair ruffled and eyes still filled with sleep. “Where are you going?” he asks, voice soft as he hangs on to Liam. By now the Omega has given up on trying to get out of Zayn’s grasps and settles on leaning back into his chest.

“To work?” Zayn can’t see the way his brows scrunch together in confusion, but the question in his voice is clear.

If Liam were looking at Zayn instead of his food or the wall in front of him, he’d notice the way that Zayn pulls his head back enough so that he can stare at the side of Liam’s face. It’s a look full of incredulousness, something Liam is all too familiar with by now, but again, it goes unnoticed in favor of the piece of toast that Liam brings to his mouth. “Unless there’s someone else you’re not telling me about,” Zayn purses his lips before trying to spin Liam around. They’re trapped in a mess of limbs before Liam’s finally settled with his back pressed against the edge of the counter. “I thought you’d be keen on staying home and letting me knot you.”

Liam’s eyes go wide, and he almost chokes on his breakfast. He’s not used to the crude way that Zayn talks sometimes, and while Liam knows he’s not that much of a saint himself, he tends to reserve that kind of attitude for the bedroom. He also doesn’t miss the way that Zayn’s words have slipped him up, just the thought sending a shiver down his spine and ultimately to his groin. “Zayn, as much as I’d love-”

“You’re not in heat.”

It’s said quickly, cutting Liam off, and he has to think for a brief moment because it’s such a sudden change in the conversation regardless of it revolving around the same topic. Liam ends up swallowing down the rest of his toast, licking his lips and regarding Zayn with a look that wonders if he’s okay or if it’s just too early in the morning for him to be up right now. “Why would I be in heat?”

To which Zayn mirrors Liam’s look and says, “I can’t tell if you’re joking right now.” He lightly laughs, hoping to break up some of the silence, but it’s then that he notices Liam’s not even paying attention to him anymore. Instead, his eyes are trained on the refrigerator where the calendar is. There are red lines that encircle four boxes out of one week of the month, and none of them are crossed out yet. And as Liam continues staring, with Zayn glancing back and forth between the human and the object, he realizes what day it is and why the hell Zayn’s up this early and so eagerly frisky.

Liam ends up removing himself from Zayn’s arms, reaching over and taking the calendar down from the fridge to look at it closely. “This can’t be right,” he says, briefly glancing up at Zayn. “It’s always on time.”

While Liam continues looking at the dates in his hands, Zayn clears his throat and tries to come up with an explanation. “Maybe it’s just late?”

But Liam’s shaking his head, placing the calendar on the counter and looking slightly worried. “It’s never late, Zayn.”

The creasing in his brow does nothing for Liam other than to cause Zayn to want to make him feel better. The sleep has managed to ease its way out of his system by now, more alert than anything. So he pulls Liam forward by his shirt so that he’s wrapped up in Zayn’s arms again. “You still have a few hours, yeah?” He gives Liam a brief moment before he’s answering with a nod. “Well, why don’t we get a head start then, hmm? I’m quite sure the lads at the office won’t miss you terribly, and I bet it’s not that big of a deal either. Stress plays a big part in things like this, doesn’t it?”

And if Liam’s honest, it doesn’t sound like a bad idea. He’d be missing work anyway if he were in heat, and it wouldn’t technically be lying if he went ahead with the days off that were always scheduled for him. “Sure,” he says, grin slowly taking over his face. “We can do that.” So instead of thinking any more about the idea of work and being late, he let’s Zayn pull him in further for a deep kiss. There’s various touching that comes along with it, that has Liam hard in less than a minute. Eventually, they end up in bed with Liam’s cum staining both his stomach and the sheets, while Zayn’s buried in deep, knot tying them together.

“You know,” Zayn whispers, tracing the outline of the recent tattoo Liam had gotten on his forearm. It’d taken awhile for him to go through with it after a night of inquiry on his part about all of Zayn’s. Some of them had meaning, other’s not so much, but Liam had said he’d thought about it before. Zayn promised that if he wanted one, he’d go with him, and now there’s a feather that links them together.

“What?” Liam speaks with a leg wrapped around Zayn’s lower waist so he’s in a better position so the knot won’t pull.

“I don’t have to knot you every time, only in heat. You’re sore when we’re through, and I don’t like it when you’re in pain afterwards.” Zayn purses his lips before he looks at Liam through his eyelashes because they’re just that long, just another something Liam’s not been able to comprehend about Zayn’s looks.

“I like it though,” Liam counters. He knows that because they’re both sated for now, it’s the perfect time to think of the aftermath. And Liam’s thankful. He’s never been with anyone else but Zayn, and he knows how fortunate he is to find someone right the first time around.

“That’s good to know.”

“Be serious!”

“I am,” Zayn says with a soft smile. “I don’t like knowing you’re hurt, especially because of me.”

Liam trails his fingers over the stubble on Zayn’s jaw in order to gain his direct attention. “I wouldn’t ask you to outside of heat if I didn’t enjoy it.” He moves then, causing a hiss from Zayn and a moan from Liam. “You can’t say you don’t like it either.” Liam then sits up as best as he can, moving on top of Zayn so that his body weight is pressing down further on the Alpha. His dick swells, stirring to life as Zayn looks up at his boyfriend hazily. His hands immediately go to rest on the lower part of Liam’s hips, steadying him while Liam tests how just how sensitive Zayn is. He squeezes around Zayn, watching as his Alpha has to bite the inside of his lip just to contain himself, otherwise he’d flip them over and do his best to bring out another orgasam for the both of them. “And I know you do,” Liam continues. “Because I see it every time I let you take me, how you’re so close to scratching the words _mine_ into my skin.”

At that, Zayn quickly sits up with a growl escaping his throat, hand coming to rest just on the side of Liam’s neck and the back of his head to hold him in place. But even as he has a grip on Liam’s focus, he doesn’t on the lower half where Liam twists his hips just to the point that has Zayn nearly closing his eyes and moaning out. But his self-control remains, eyeing Liam as he continues to rock himself on Zayn. He can feel the wetness from Liam’s cock trapped between the both of their bellies, but he ignores it in favor of studying Liam and the bright flush of his cheeks. “You’re a tease.”

“So what if I am?” Liam counters, until a hand slides around his thick cock, tugging in long, even strokes until said hand isn’t there anymore, removed by Zayn quickly enough.

“Don’t test me.”

But Liam does anyway. He may not be able to move normally what with the knot sitting just inside the rim of his hole, but ever since they’ve been together, he’s had enough practice that has Zayn completely pleased. To say the least, Liam’s more than proud of himself and has learned to grasp Zayn’s cocky attitude in bed.

With no further words, Zayn ducks down and captures one of Liam’s nipples in his mouth. His hands have fallen back down to Liam’s waist, fingers digging into the flesh. He toys with Liam, biting and licking the nub and around the skin because Zayn’s found that Liam’s into that, loves being touched and messed with until he’s at his wit’s end. And so while Liam continues grinding down on Zayn, little moans escaping his lips from that cock rubbing up against his prostate, he gasps when Zayn’s hand finds its way to his cock again. The friction between it being encased by warm skin is enough for droplets of pre-cum to leak from the tip. Zayn plays with it, swirling it around the head of Liam’s dick until his movements become jerky and uncoordinated.

Zayn knows he’s almost there when Liam gets sloppy with his handy work, so all it takes is his mouth moving up to Liam’s neck and sucking for Liam to finally spill over. His cum lands on both of their bellies, with Liam’s insides tightening up so quickly that Zayn’s not prepared for when his orgasm hits. He continuously spills over into Liam, filling him up with his own spunk that will surely have him leaking so much whenever he’s finally able to cool down.

The two of them lean on one another as they come down off their high. Zayn continues pressing small kisses into Liam’s skin while Liam runs his nails lightly over Zayn’s back.

“You did that on purpose,” Zayn pants. “Now we’re going to be stuck like this for a lot longer.”

“Are you complaining?” The Omega lifts his hand and runs it through Zayn’s hair, tugging at it on the nape of his neck. Liam’s met with a quick shake of the head before Zayn’s pulling them both down, where Liam lays on top of the Alpha and is able to rest his head just in the crook of Zayn’s neck.

“Of course not.”

Liam hears the happiness in his voice and couldn’t be more pleased with himself. “Good.”

 

-

 

Turns out, Liam completely misses his heat for the month. So when the next two weeks roll around, he’s convinced himself that maybe he’s been overdoing himself in the office, and it’s just like what Zayn had told him before, that stress has overloaded his body. It’s not something he’s ever had to deal with before though, the monthly occurrence happening ever since he’d hit puberty, but he puts it on the back burner, not wanting to freak himself out. Plus, Zayn’s made him promise not to let it get him upset, and if anything else unusual happens, then he can always go to the doctor.

Thing is though, within those two weeks, and what Liam fails to notice, is the fact that his appetite grows to want very specific sort of things. One minute he’s on a sugar kick, and the next a hamburger sounds wonderful. Which is why Liam’s at the bar now and nearly begging for Zayn to set down his plate of food.

“Are you sure you want these?” Zayn asks, and he pushes the hot wings forward. Liam’s too busy eyeing them like he’s about ready to tear them to pieces.

“Yes, Zayn. Please yes.”

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re leaving me for pieces of chicken.” He’s leaning over the bar now that Liam’s gotten a hold of the basket. His fingers immediately find the first piece of food, bringing it to his mouth where he takes a bite.

“Don’t be silly.”

“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” Zayn counters, but he’s met with the middle finger and then a small moan from Liam. He ends up blinking in surprise, not just with Liam’s interesting behavior but at the fact that the meat can’t be that good. “You were complaining awhile back that the food here wasn’t that good.”

Liam shakes his head. “No, Zayn. It’s really good.”

But Zayn doesn’t have time to respond when he notices a group of people enter the bar. “I’ll be back, okay? And please, Liam,” Zayn points at him, eyebrows raised as if he’s scolding the younger male, “the food isn’t going anywhere. Slow down, chew your food, and don’t choke.” Once he’s made sure that Liam understands, he rolls his eyes and lets his boyfriend continue eating.

But Liam’s not able to sit still for long. He watches Zayn leave him before he tries finishing his food. It’s a slow day at the bar, which is why Liam’s here and not at the house. It’s a way for him to spend extra time with Zayn, where they can actually talk without a lot of interruptions save for the occasional people who come in. Zayn isn’t the only bartender working tonight though; there’s another lad by the name of Harry, who’s on the other side of the room, chatting with a group of ladies that just happened to find the place by accident. Liam watches him over paying any attention to Zayn given that the table where Zayn is at is behind him, while Harry’s in direct view. He’s got a head full of curls and a charming smile that knocks the breath out of anyone he directs it at. In fact, Liam had been quite charmed by the Beta the first time he met him instead of overly anxious like he normally gets with others more dominant than him. It’d actually lead to Zayn playing possessive, keeping a careful eye on the two of them in case he thought Liam might leave (which, in all honesty, he knew that wasn’t strictly true, especially after Liam proved it to him later that night).

“Cold?”

Liam looks up and is met with curious eyes. Harry’s cleaning off a glass before setting down the rag and filling the cup up with beer. “I’m fine.” He pushes away the basket of chicken, half of them gone with bones scattered across the top. But as he sits there for a moment or two, a feeling of nausea hits him so hard. Aside from the chicken, the only thing he can smell is the stench of beer as Harry fills up another two glasses. It’s nothing strong and something he’s used to, but it hits him harder than he thought, causing his stomach to roll. Liam makes a quick decision to head to the bathroom as Harry eyes him. Liam shrugs before he stands up, ignoring the way that Zayn eyes him as he passes him and the table he’s servicing.

The bathroom is decent sized and clean; Liam will give it that so it makes him feel better as he enters one of the stalls and lets go of everything he just ate. Normally, he’d make it a habit not to sit on the floor, considering the kinds of things that have probably gone on in here during a very busy night, but he can’t help it as he continues to feel queasy.

It’s how Zayn manages to find him two minutes later, with Liam leaning against the bathroom stall in an upright position trying to calm down and hope that he doesn’t puke again. “Liam?” Zayn sighs. “I thought I told you to take it slow?”

Liam squeezes his eyes shut before he reopens them. The look on the Alpha’s face is enough for Liam to feel bad about the entire ordeal even if it isn’t particularly his fault. “I’m fine,” is the first thing out of Liam’s mouth, and he can feel the words heavy on his tongue. Liam’s never been good at lying, but even this is a step too far because Zayn immediately picks up on something else within his tone. “It wasn’t the food.”

He gets an odd look before Liam tries to stand up. Zayn manages to catch his elbow and help him into an upright position before he reaches over and flushes the toilet. “What else could it have been?”

“The alcohol,” Liam replies. Zayn helps him out of the stall but lets go of him once Liam pulls away to wash his hands. “The smell of it, or something. I don’t know, but I feel better now. I promise.” And he does. His stomach feels settles, but when Liam looks up into the mirror above the sink, Zayn’s looking at him warily with his arms crossed over his chest.

“I think you need to go home.” His features are set in a way that Liam is all too familiar with. It’s one Zayn tries to use to get Liam to obey him, but most of the time it doesn’t work because Liam’s too good at worming his way out of things he doesn’t want to do. Every time, Zayn can’t help but fall for Liam’s pouty face. “You can get some rest or something.”

“But that means I’ll be home alone.” The Omega grimaces at that thought. It’s not like he can’t entertain himself, but the apartment feels empty when he’s there by himself. Sometimes he wonders how he managed to live alone after all this time. He swears this is a new side to him.

“I’ll get off early tonight since it isn’t so busy, how about that?” Zayn steps forward into Liam’s space, reaching down for his hand and squeezing it in reassurance.

“Or,” Liam begins, “I could stay here-”

And then Zayn smiles this certain particular smile that Liam’s all too familiar with. It’s one that strictly declares that Zayn’s got a brilliant idea, and he’s about to voice it out loud. Only, more often than not, it’s just something that has Liam blushing from head to toe, or wanting to smack the Alpha upside the head for being ridiculous. “And subject yourself to Harry’s cruelty? Because once we walk out of here, you better believe he’s going to start in like the last time.”

Liam tries to keep his features neutral, but he can’t help but look taken aback. “But that was one time, and we were drunk!”

Zayn snickers and tilts his head. “I’m pretty sure the image of your mouth around my cock isn’t a sight that is easily forgotten, babe.”

The flush that spreads across Liam’s face only widens Zayn’s smile until he’s brushing his fingertips over the apple of Liam’s cheeks. Liam can only duck his head to try and shy away from the touch though. “I’m leaving.” Liam pushes past Zayn for the door, and the chuckle of laughter follows him once he exists the room. Liam purposely avoids Harry’s mischievous grin as he passes the bar and doesn’t bother stopping to smile at any of the patrons as he normally makes habit of doing. The only time he actually does stop is when he’s nearly halfway to his car, and Zayn finally pulls him back. “Take care, yeah?” He tries to give Liam an apologetic smile, but it doesn’t work when Liam can still see the glint in his eye. “I’ll get off early tonight just for you. Please call me if you feel sick again.”

Liam eventually relents being mock angry at Zayn and nods. “Okay.”

His boyfriend manages to give a kiss on the cheek before he’s sending Liam off to the car, where he drives home in peace and sits in the apartment catching up on missed tv and trying his best to busy himself. He doesn’t end up sick again, but he does take it easy by relaxing himself in case the urge surprises him. And as soon as Zayn does gets home, Liam decides it’s a good idea to take a bit of medicine in case he’s come down with a bug, hoping that maybe he can put an end to it before it really begins.

 

-

 

They both end up heading to bed as soon as Zayn’s out of the shower, with Liam falling into a deep, restless sleep. He’s not quite sure what the hell it is, but he wakes up several times throughout the middle of the night until he’s up at seven in the morning over the toilet again, spilling what’s left of his insides regardless of the fact that he hadn’t had anything for dinner, too afraid that maybe it had been the food and not the unwanted smell of beer that had unsettled him before.

“Hey,” he hears from the door. Liam sits back on his knees before looking in the doorway. Zayn’s there rubbing his eyes, trying to clear his vision of his sleepy haze.

“Go back to bed, please,” Liam whispers, adamant about Zayn getting his rest.

But Zayn doesn’t listen and instead makes his way over to Liam. The Alpha then reaches down and feels Liam’s forehead before moving the back of his hand against the younger lads face, feeling the warmth that radiates from the skin. “You feel like you have a fever.”

Liam breathes out and leans into Zayn’s cool touch. He’s not overly hot, but the feeling is nice on his skin. “I didn’t eat anything this morning either. I must be sick,” he confesses as he closes his eyes again. It’s easier not to look around because it means he’s focused in trying to calm down the sick feeling.

“Liam, I want you to come lay down.” Zayn leans down a bit more and softly pulls at Liam’s arm. “I’ll stick a waste basket by the bed just in case, but I think you’ll feel better otherwise.” And Liam listens. He lets Zayn help him up, slowly making his way back into bed. Tiredness rests just behind his eyelids and as soon as his head hits the pillow, Zayn covers him up. “I’ll be right back with some water.”

But Liam’s out like a light as soon as he gets back.

 

-

 

After that particular morning, Liam notices a trend. Every time he gets up in the morning for work, he feels like he needs to lose his cookies. He tries to close the bathroom door so as not to wake Zayn up every morning from the sound, but it’s rather difficult when nearly two weeks pass and Liam’s sick of being sick. He’s taken medicine; he’s gotten plenty of sleep, and he’s also noticed that by the time lunch rolls around, he’s _starving_ , and the nausea is completely gone.

What also takes place is that he tends to crave things as well. It’s almost as bad as the hot wings all those days ago, but it’s something he’s managed to control unless he really, really wants it. Lately it’s been various amounts of sweets, and he’s probably taking in more than he should, but damnit, chocolate is good, and whoever says otherwise is lying. However, even if Liam feels bad in the morning and better towards the rest of his day, it doesn’t stop Zayn from worrying.

And Liam’s decently okay with that. It makes sense to worry about a significant other, but Zayn doesn’t keep his distance, both needing and wanting to sooth Liam’s pain away. It’s difficult when he doesn’t have the strength to do it, and Liam can definitely see the guilt in Zayn’s eyes. He tries to reassure him as much as he can because it certainly isn’t Zayn’s fault for Liam being sick, or whatever it is the hell that has taken over him. But he understands because Liam has a feeling that he’d do the same thing if Zayn were in this position.

Liam also knows that it’s some sort of base instinct within Zayn too. Alphas take care of their Omegas, and when they can’t, they grow restless and think of alternatives to fix the problem.

“Liam, I don’t think it’s getting better,” he says.

Liam looks up from his position on the couch, where he’s curled up under a blanket. Zayn’s walking out of the kitchen with a plate and a cup in his hands. Liam doesn’t comment though, turning his attention back to the tv and waiting for Zayn to take his place right next to him.

“Maybe you should go-” Zayn starts, but then Liam’s rapidly shaking his head.

“No; there’s no need for that. It’s probably just a bug, and it’ll go away soon.”

Zayn finally takes his seat on the couch but doesn’t look impressed with Liam’s answer. “You’re so stubborn. A doctor could help you! I mean,” when Zayn sets his items down on the coffee table, he notices the way that Liam eyes it, “I’m not thrilled with the fact that they’d be all over you, and I’d probably end up having to mark you again, but at least you’d feel better. Besides,” the Alpha ends up with an interesting look on his face as he settles himself on the edge of the couch so that he can reach his food, “that doesn’t sound like a bad idea actually. Consider it role play or something; I know I tend to be possessive when it comes to scents, but just imagine you coming home and smelling like someone else and me being rough-”

There’s a coughing sound that interrupts Zayn’s spoken thoughts. Liam’s staring at him with a mixture of looks, one in utter disbelief that Zayn’s even talking about sex so casually - something Liam refuses to do unless they’re both really into it - another that looks like mild concern, and something else that looks like he’s trying to bite his tongue and keep from expressing his distaste (not because it doesn’t sound nice, but the timing is definitely off).

So, Zayn shrugs his shoulders, looking as innocent as he can possibly get before replying, “What? It was just a thought.” And although this is one of those moments where he should’ve kept it to himself, it doesn’t stop Liam from getting up from the couch as quickly as possible and leaving the room. He expects Zayn to follow him, but he’s too focused on getting to the bathroom to pay any attention to what he thinks might be footsteps behind him.

As soon as he gets into the small room in his apartment, he sits near the porcelain and concentrates on trying not to let whatever bug this is get to him. Liam doesn’t know how long he sits there, and he’s fortunately able to control his body from the numerous amounts of things it’s gone through lately.

So when Liam finally lifts his head up, he notices a figure in the doorway, leaning against the frame, arms crossed over a tattooed chest and a striking look that makes Liam feel absolutely horrible for making Zayn worry about him.

“Liam-”

“Just give it a few more days, Zayn, please.” He takes a deep breath before standing up and washing his hands just to get rid of something he can’t physically see. He knows that Zayn’s still standing there, watching his every move, and it makes him all the more nervous. When he goes to shut off the water, another hand beats him to it. The faucet is turned off, and despite his hands being wet from the water, they’re molded into Zayn’s, where he takes them and runs his fingers over every inch of skin.

“You’re shaking.” He sounds sad, and it only makes Liam feel even more guilty because this shouldn’t be that big of a deal. He should be getting better, not worse, and this shouldn’t be affecting their life.

“I’m sorry,” Liam whispers. He can’t bring himself to face Zayn until the other lad is pulling him forward into his chest before warm arms encircle his entire being.

Zayn scoffs, his chin resting just on top of Liam’s head. It’s a bit of a weird position, given that Liam’s only a tad bit taller, but his face is buried into Zayn’s shoulder, breathing in deeply and letting the Alpha’s scent calm him down from anything else he might’ve been feeling before. “Too sweet, Liam. You still apologize for things that aren’t your fault.”

“I’m sor-”

And Zayn pulls him back just enough so that he can stare at Liam with a soft smile on his face. “Don’t. We’ll be here all night if you do. Now,” Zayn let’s one of his arms fall back to his side before he lifts a hand to Liam’s face to gently poking his cheek, “I want to see that smile.” He continues egging his boyfriend on until Liam’s softly laughing and trying to bat his hand away.

“Okay, Zayn,” he rushes to say, smile wide on his face. And even as he tries to move away, Zayn won’t let him. His arm tightens around Liam’s waist so it keeps him in place, and when he finally relents, letting his arm fall to the wayside again, he stares at Liam. His eyes roam Liam carefully, and Liam has to call out his name just to get his attention again. “Hmm?”

“What’s the matter?” Liam licks his lips before ducking his head and playing with a button on Zayn’s shirt. He’s never gotten used to Zayn’s stare, not yet at least. It’s still a surprise when he finds the other male just glancing at him every so often, or when he’s still in their bed when Liam wakes up. It’s one of the best parts of his morning.

“Nothing,” he replies. A rather large, dorkish smile makes its way across Zayn’s face, one that lifts up his cheeks and makes his eyes crinkle at the corners. It’s rather endearing, and Liam can’t take his eyes away either. “I don’t think I tell you that I love you enough, is all.”

Liam’s eyes nearly bug out of his head, and he has to chuckle awkwardly just to make some sense of what Zayn’s just revealed. And the thing is, it’s not like Zayn doesn’t say it, because he does, but they both know it’s a rare occurrence between the two. Zayn’s very open and honest about a lot of things, and Liam has no doubt that he’d be willing to share his feelings so blatantly with Liam if it meant that it’d resolve an argument, or even make Liam feel better when he’s down.

Thing is though, is that Liam finds it hard to do the same. He knows he cares about Zayn a lot and has expressed his love for him, but he rarely mutters it in fear of embarrassing himself, or the fact that Zayn may not reciprocate these feelings one day. Except Liam’s sure by not saying anything, that might push the Alpha away, but so far, Zayn doesn’t look like he’ll be going anywhere anytime soon. WIth that though, Liam’s always left wondering why that is - like he is right now because his mouth only opens like he wants to say something, but nothing comes out.

He’s feeling a lot of different things at once, good things though, unlike what he’d had with the nausea, but his face must read something else because Zayn’s eyebrows rise, and he says, “Please don’t tell me that by letting my guard down and being this nice is going to make lose your stomach. This is a very nice moment, Liam, and hearing that awful sound - and you know what I’m talking about - wouldn’t do anything but ruin the moment. And you know as well as I do that I’d still love you regardless but-”

He’s silenced as soon as he feels Liam’s lips connect with his own. He’s not prepared for it, but Zayn welcomes it nonetheless, especially when Liam pulls back, and he whines because he likes the way Liam feels against him.

“Sorry,” Liam says before Zayn can say anything else. “You surprised me.”

And while Zayn’s face had been playful and worrying all at once a moment ago, that smile he’d had before takes over his features once again. “Good,” he comments. “That’s good. I like keeping you on your toes....” Zayn trails off for a moment, and Liam realizes he’s weighing another comment on the tip of his tongue. Eventually, it looks as if Zayn’s made up his mind, because although his stance remains happy, there’s now a glint in his eye that has Liam waiting for what’s about to come next. “And your knees, but that’s an entirely different context and would be more applicable if we were in a different situation too.”

Liam can’t stop the bubble of laughter that escapes his throat, nor can he control the blush that spreads across his pale cheeks. He ends up pushing at Zayn’s shoulder, letting him fall back far away enough so that Liam can exit the bathroom completely. Despite his best efforts to get away, Zayn eventually catches up with him only to tackle him into the couch, pressing light kisses against his cheeks, down his neck and across his collar bones. It causes an inexplicable moan from Liam and wicked thin grin from Zayn before he goes after Liam fully, forgetting about his food and them both putting off the idea that something may, in fact, be wrong with Liam.

 

-

 

He makes a very unfortunate habit out of not telling Zayn anything anymore about in regards as to what's going on with him. It's not like Liam knows exactly what's happening either, but with the morning sickness and the change in appetite making him cautious, he figures it's the best course of action. It's not a decision that happens all at once though; it takes Liam a good while to slowly slip into a mum state on his well being, especially after seeing the tension that begins to reside in Zayn's body any time Liam needs to use the restroom. Liam reassures him that it's strictly to take care of business and not to actually lose his stomach, but sometimes that's a lie too because Liam hates, more than anything, to be the cause of a problem. It's also, no doubt, incredibly stupid for him to do this, but in his mind, if it brings a sense of peace to someone he cares about, he's willing to go through with it.

So aside from the fact that his body tends to ache, he can't stomach food in the morning (and is repulsed by certain smells too often for his liking), and gets extremely hungry for specific meals towards the end of the day, everything is normal. Liam continues to stop by the bar when he can, and if he's not feeling overly sick. He also spends what time he can with Zayn while working his job to the best of his ability.

Normal. That’s all Liam wants.

So at one point he grows tired of it. It's day in and day out of nausea, noticing the bags that begin to take shape underneath his eyes. They stain the skin and show a lack of sleep, and more than anything, he's just rightly dumb for not doing as Zayn had said: going to the doctor to get checked out.

That in itself freaks him out.

Liam's a smart lad, sometimes. The thing is, he's used to having a bit of anxiety, and going out of his way to purposely find out if he might possibly be dying doesn't sound like a plan to him. And sure, he's thought of every kind of situation he might be in. In fact, Google, the search engine he'd thought would be his friend on this kind of thing, has only given him random, inaccurate diagnosis, if not really absurd, bizarre kinds of issues he could be facing.

Essentially, Liam runs out of people he can confide in, and the thought alone has him in a mood one evening when he gets off from work after a long day of frustrating people who should be able to figure out how to work a computer. It's a combination of that and other things that really has him upset though, to the point where it has him sitting on the couch at a loss as to what he should do. He's frustrated and tired, and there feels like a headache brewing at the edges of his mind. Liam knows he's running out of options here because he realizes he can't continue on like this.

As he sits on the couch and stares at the empty living room, he worries at his lip and thinks about his choices, including telling Zayn that things have only increased, or if he should take matters into his own hands and finally call a doctor.

However, at this point, there are tears of anger and irritation welling up in his eyes, causing his vision to blur. Liam wants to let them go, but the sound of keys in a lock startle him and have him rapidly trying to blink them away, knowing that his face is already slightly tinted red. Liam had honestly thought that Zayn had gone in to work by now and that he had the place to himself, but he sees that that's most certainly not the case now.

Zayn eventually walks through the front door but doesn't notice Liam until his keys are pocketed, and he turns around to possibly head into their bedroom. "Liam?" Zayn says, mildly surprised.

Liam stands up slowly, wiping his hands on his pants out of nervousness. He tries to plaster a smile on his face, but he's sure it looks out place and awkward. "Hey," he says. Liam also makes sure he's conscious of his blinking so that by the time Zayn approaches, there won't be any trace of the state he almost found himself in.

"Sorry, love," the Alpha says. He sticks a hand into the pocket of his slacks before moving forward. "Forgot my phone. Hope I didn't startle you?"

His voice is soft, Liam notices, and something in his chest clenches because it's Zayn's way of easy conversation, showing Liam that he’s safe and will be understanding no matter what happens. Which, as Liam knows, only means that Zayn’s picked up on something he’d been wanting to keep to himself.

“No, you didn’t,” he responds. His smile stays, but it falls just a fraction until he ducks his head and brings his hands together to wring them out of nervousness.

“Li, what’s the matter?”

A hand on Liam’s upper arm startles him, but he doesn’t move away from the touch. He can’t find it in himself to look at Zayn either, so they stand in silence because Liam’s not even sure what to say. There’s always the truth and saying what’s on his mind, but he can’t do that. It’s not that he doesn’t trust Zayn because he’s learned time and time again that he can, but the very idea of upsetting the Alpha, of bringing him any kind of unsettlement, hurts Liam’s heart.

So instead of answer honestly, Liam replies with, “Nothing.” The fringe of his hair lightly falls in front of his eyes considering he’s still staring at the ground, but then there are a pair of warm fingers that find Liam’s chin, nudge up Liam’s head so that the deep browns of his eyes immediately connect with hazel.

“Liam,” Zayn says deeply. He looks determined, every bit of the Alpha that he is.

And Liam freezes. He’s not subtle about it, nor is he able to hide the way he trembles. He’s not scared of Zayn; that’d be ridiculous, but he’s come to find that he’s more afraid for himself. As much as he’s been putting everything off, trying to convince himself by lying and believing that things would just get better, it’s beginning to settle in that maybe there’s something seriously wrong with him. And if there is, Liam knows it's up to him to ultimately fix it. He can’t have Zayn blame himself for not doing enough, and Liam can’t be a coward anymore, but he chooses this moment to be open, to let it out before he makes the decision he should’ve made awhile back. “What if I’m dying?” he whispers.

Because it’s a legitimate fear. Throwing up his guts doesn’t necessarily equate to sudden death, but there are a lot of illness that have these kinds of symptoms.

Zayn sucks in a breath though, attention completely focused on Liam despite the need to get to work. “What makes you say that?”

Liam can tell he’s trying to be patient, trying his best not to freak out in case something worse has been going on, so he’s quick to soothe Zayn’s worries, even if his own are still at play. “I dunno; I’m scared.”

“Babe,” Zayn cracks a small smile, wraps his hands around Liam’s waist and pulls him close, “it’ll be fine. Whatever this is, it’s going to be okay.”

He does nothing but swallow down the cotton feeling in his throat. It doesn’t help much, but he’s able to rest his head on Zayn’s shoulder, nose subtly nuzzling into Zayn’s neck where he can breathe in deeply, an oddly weird, but nice calm settling over his body. “You’re probably right,” he answers back.

Zayn huffs out a laugh. “I’m always right. Who told you otherwise?”

There might be a hint of uneasiness in his tone because obviously he’s unsure of the future, but he does this for Liam’s sake, remains positive because even if Liam’s the one in possible trouble, there’s no doubt that Zayn would suffer too. A bond would be broken, and Zayn would be more than devastated. Liam can feel their attachment, a low thrum of emotions, like small waves reflecting off their skin, and while it’s taken awhile to get there, for Liam to feel it, it grows in strength daily.

Liam’s only able to whack Zayn's stomach, something soft, nothing that would cause any damage. Zayn ends up leaning away though, little puffs of laughter escaping when he knows that Liam’s smiling against his skin. “Smartass.”

“You like it.”

“Fuck you, Malik.”

Zayn hums, low, but Liam pulls away quickly. “No, don’t. You know where that leads, and you’ve got work.”

To say that Zayn looks mildly disappointed is an understatement, but it’s temporary, something playful before he bounces right back to a grin. “Then you promise me you won’t be upset when I leave?”

Liam honestly don’t know if he can give that because Zayn’s distraction has been welcome, but with him gone for the night, that just leaves so many thoughts to wander, and Liam can imagine working himself up again - doesn’t _want_ to, but he could. “I’ll try.”

It’s hard to tell if Zayn’s convinced or not, but he doesn’t push the subject. He grapples for Liam’s waist again, pulls him in close before he looks down at him softly. “We’ll figure it out.” And then he doesn’t wait for a reply, choosing to lean down and press a kiss against Liam’s lips before he pulls away.

Zayn ends up finding his phone and shoving it into his pocket before he walks backwards towards the door. Liam remains where he is until Zayn nearly trips trying to exit the flat, and that leaves Liam with a warm heart.

It also has him searching for the numbers on a clock, and eventually finding the courage to pick up his phone to make a call.

 

-

 

The appointment is scheduled nearly two months after Liam’s changes. It’d only been last week when Liam had his little breakdown, and while things have settled for him, he knows he’s made the right decision because now he won’t have to see Zayn’s worried face. It’s not full of shame or pity, nothing like that, but there’s a sadness that lingers just in the corner of the Alpha’s hazel eyes, and Liam knows he’s the cause of it. So he takes this step for himself and for Zayn, to go find a doctor, get himself checked out and pray that this isn’t something life-threatening.

It’s also something else he keeps from Zayn though, just in case it turns out to be the worst case scenario, the 3% chance of some odd diagnosis that Liam might fall under. He figures it’s better to ask for forgiveness later than have Zayn by his side for this. That seems a bit mental given that Liam’s supposed to let Zayn know what’s going on, but Liam’s already frightened enough as it is, and the thought of Zayn taking off work to come with him to an appointment where he might find that there’s something seriously wrong with him, alarms him. He hates keeping secrets, and he’s a shit liar, but he keeps it on the down low until the day arrives.

He goes to work that day, does his normal routine so that everything seems in place. The nausea nor the cravings are too terrible, and he takes off early so that he can sit himself in a doctor’s office with a bunch of other people, mainly women and a handful of men, he’s noticed, who’re here for checkups or because they have health issues of their own. He does this on purpose though, coming in at a later time so that by the time Liam gets back home, Zayn won’t be there

It’s a shit thing to do really, he knows it, but he’d rather break the news to Zayn of his own accord. He’d rather have time to deal with this alone and on his own time before he ends up hurting Zayn. Just the thought of that puts him in an off mood, so when his name is called, he’s startled before he follows a nurse into a room where they ask him basic questions as to whether he’s allergic to anything and if he’s taking any kind of medicine that could potentially interfere with a later prescription. He’s then left alone for the doctor to deal with.

Liam ends up with a woman, Doctor Owens, and although Liam lists off his symptoms and hopes for an immediate response, it turns out that it’s not that simple. See, as luck would have it, the doctor looks at Liam with a very neutral kind of expression where he can’t tell what she might be thinking. She smiles at him the entire time, a fake kind of something that’s got Liam’s nerves frayed.

He listens though, watches the way her mouth moves as she asks him questions about what’s going on in his life, how he’s doing, what his symptoms are. It’s routine, but it feels as if he’s drowning because there’s no inclination that might help guide him in the right direction as far as a diagnosis goes.

Though when Liam’s done explaining a very generalized view of the latest occurrences with his body - the smells, the nausea, and the fear to actually eat anything, his stomach curling at the thought of food - the immediate reaction from the other person in the room is for Liam to take a blood test.

“Wait, what?”

“Just a precaution. We can run it through various tests we’ve available, see if you’re low on vitamins, or minerals, cancel out any possible reasons as to why you’ve been ill.”

And it’s in that moment that Liam knows for certain that this woman has no clue what the fuck is wrong with him. He could leave here and look for a second opinion elsewhere, which might be the smartest thing to do, but as a nurse walks in, ready to take his blood, Liam settles for it. He doesn’t have time to shop around for different opinions, and he hardly thinks that extensive testing won’t at least show them something about his vitals; so Liam stares at the wall as the nurse draws blood, trying his best to breathe in and out so that he won’t freak as the red liquid is being withdrawn from his body.

“Three days,” she says, confident that she’ll have something to tell him by then. “Give us that long, and we’ll call you.”

Before he knows it, Liam’s sent home with no answers and a heavy heart, going back to the flat that’s empty yet filled with nothing more than extensive worries.

 

-

 

It’s only a few hours later when he’s woken up by a hand on his shoulder. He’s startled, reaching out to grab at whoever is touching him until he recognizes that it’s only Zayn.

“You fell asleep on the couch,” he says quietly, and Liam only nods before letting Zayn help him up so they can get to bed properly.

And things are somewhat normal after that actually. Liam tries his hand at meeting Zayn at work again, and it proves to be a far better turnout than the last time. And Zayn seems to have temporarily let go of his qualms concerning Liam given that he tries not to make a big deal whenever he isn’t feeling well.

It’s honestly smooth sailing from there. It’s only three days, but it feels good to know that Liam’s gotten something done, yet he feels guilty for keeping Zayn out of the loop. Cheery, happy, lovable Zayn.

Who may, in fact, not be that way for much longer once Liam’s phone rings, and he’s left to pull himself away from an early dinner, the both of them sharing each other’s warmth on the couch, catching up on old reruns of _Fresh Prince_.

“Give me moment,” Liam states, hides the screen of the phone from Zayn as quickly as he can.

The Alpha doesn’t question it, just lets Liam up and continues to pay attention to the television.

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to speak with you in person, Liam.” The voice on the other end of the line is tinny, distant, but not cold. They don’t sound worried, nor do they sound frightened that whatever’s taken ahold of Liam might be the cause of something permanent.

So if they’re not too worried, then Liam shouldn't be either. He swallows down his nervousness and chooses to focus on the call. At this moment, he’s secluded himself within the bathroom, the only place of refuge that won’t carry his voice all the way to the living room. Even still, the tv is loud and can be heard through the door, so he’s at peace with the fact that Zayn won’t be able to hear a thing anyway.

“Is it that bad?” Liam asks.

There’s a small, muffled laugh on the other end of the line. “I’m sorry. I should’ve said something before. I can’t imagine how worried you must be. Liam, you’re perfectly healthy.”

A sharp intake of breath comes from him, just as his eyes find his figure in the mirror. He stares at himself for a brief moment, collecting his thoughts, and he can’t quite tell whether he’s relieved or further distressed, because if he’s healthy, then why would his entire body feel this off?

“So, I’m not, you know, dying or anything?”

“Oh, Liam, no. Nothing like that. If you want to discuss this now, I can, but I have feeling you might want to see me in person.”

And the decision is tough. Liam could put an end to his misery in less than five seconds flat, but then Zayn’s laughter rings out, echoing down the hall, and Liam blinks. His gaze is refocused to the faucet, where a few droplets of water are leaking out until he seeks the handle and closes the pipe completely.

Liam could very well do this now; the decision is in his hands, but he can’t. Not yet, at least, because he’s here with Zayn, finally spending some time with him alone, without having to worry about work, or lay in bed because of his heat. They’re peaceful, just the two of them having a night in. And maybe they’re too young to be playing serious adults like this, boring and uncreative in how they choose to spend their time. But Zayn laughs again, deep, coming directly from his chest. Liam can picture the exact face he’d end up making too, the entirety of it lit up, eyes crinkled, lips pulled back to reveal straight, white teeth. A ray of sunshine, he is. A sparkling little light in Liam’s life he hadn’t known he was missing.

“Okay,” Liam says into the phone. “I’ll wait.”

He doesn’t feel regret when he hangs up. Zayn’s entire body wrapped around his, snuggled up on the couch, won’t let him.

 

-

 

“I’m trying to keep my cool,” Liam remarks, “but I think I might freak out a bit here soon.” He’s sitting across from his doctor in her office. It’s nice, very clean and set up professionally. It feels very homey too given that it’s not, but Liam likes it enough.

“I’m sorry, but it’s not everyday that I get to treat an Omega like yourself.”

Liam tries not to take it as an insult. He knows he’s not one-of-a-kind, but with the way the world makes him feel, it’s hard not to believe otherwise. And this woman, who’s supposed to be on Liam’s side, shouldn’t be making him feel bad about his genetics.

“Oh?” he replies, trying his best to mask the hurt. He thinks he might have an anxiety attack soon if this process isn’t sped up.

“Look, Liam,” the woman begins, “It’s not uncommon for men like yourself to experience what you’ve been dealing with these past couple of weeks. In fact, it’s incredibly normal for someone who’s expecting a baby.”

And Liam snorts out a laugh that effectively cuts off anything else the doctor has to say. “Expecting?” He doesn’t mean to, but he looks at the older woman as if she’s crazy for saying anything at all. “What load of bullshit is that?”

But the response he gets next isn’t a joke; instead, it’s a narrowing of the eyes and movement on the doctor’s part. She shuffles around folders on her desk before pulling out a brochure. She keeps it with her, standing up from her seat, and Liam watches as she rounds it to sit in the empty chair next to his. Dr. Owens then hands it to him slowly, watching his every move because Liam’s eyeing her warily. “What’s that?”

“Apparently it’s something you weren’t fully aware of.”

Liam sniffs before reaching out and taking the pamphlet. The letters in front are in bold black with the words _Pregnancy and Omegas_ written at the top of it. His eyes scan the page until he flips it open and is met with more words scrawled across the paper. There are various pictures that are included, depending on the discussion topic, mainly big blurbs of text that come after a question is asked. Even if its goal is to make things clear, everything is a blur to Liam because he can’t see past the words _pregnant_ and _baby_ , and _male Omegas_.

Before even trying read anything else, Liam closes the paper up and hands it back to the doctor, refusing to even bother with it anymore. “Look, I came here to find out what was wrong with me. I don’t appreciate being lied to like this.” He stands up and is about ready to head to the door, but a question from the other person in the room, an Omega too, has him stopping mid step before turning around.

“Liam, you’ve heard of male Omegas carrying, haven’t you?”

He grits his teeth together before spitting out, “Yes.”

“And you know they’re not overly common, not because it’s too dangerous, but because sometimes it’s frowned upon, right?”

Liam looks away from the doctor, where he can still feel her eyes boring into his being. It brings up several different kinds of thoughts, really, ones he’d rather not relive because he might’ve never conceived a child, but he knows of the kind of bullying Omega males get, even as young children. He can only imagine how much harder it must be for those that bring a kid into the world.

“Where are you going with this?” The hairs on the back of his neck are standing up, and he feels utterly uncomfortable.

“What I’m saying is that maybe you weren’t given all of the details you needed to know in order to explore your options-”

“For what?” he asks angrily, a mask to hide the strings of each individual emotions that are slowly linking themselves together. There’s not doubt he’s an open book regardless of his efforts, with his face open and mind struggling to understand any of this conversation. Of course he’s heard about other males having kids. It wasn’t absurd in their society, but Liam, well, he couldn’t have children and hadn’t thought twice about it. There were plenty of other couples out there that couldn’t have children either, and Liam didn’t think it was a big part of himself anyway given that he expected to settle down with someone who either wouldn't want children, or at least would consider other alternatives to have them. Never in a million years did Liam think he’d be capable enough to love an Alpha with those same feelings returned. He figured he’d be destined for a great deal of normality, trying to get by in life for what others couldn’t accept about him. “So I wouldn’t get knocked up? Tell me then, when the fuck was that supposed to happen when I was told it wasn’t physically possible for me to have them in the first place?”

“By whom?” Dr. Owens looks a bit incredulous now, concerned for Liam’s wellbeing. And it’s good to know she cares; it’s like an out of body experience here. He feels trapped, like he’s spent his entire life getting used to _what_ he was, and now this comes out of nowhere, an unwelcome surprise, a foreign feeling of distrust with his body now that it’s gone and done something different from his own sense of normal.

But apparently this is normal, for Omegas anyway, and Liam’s one of them.

Liam thinks for a moment before starting, “Uh, by my-” and he chokes up suddenly, words becoming wobbly before he cuts himself off. He finds that his eyes widen, just a fraction of an inch when it dawns on him suddenly. Little memories come rushing back that have him stunned, and he can feel a surge of emotion like no other, causing his breathing to slow, and tears to well up in his eyes. He refuses to cry here, won’t let go completely, but his head is whirling with past events in his life, brief remarks and comments of his childhood, specifically his parents, his father. All of them could’ve been lions, with sharp teeth, ready for their prey, snarls and dirty words that had been directed specifically towards him and not any other Omega in general.

And on top if it all comes the memory of his first heat, the way he’d been stuck in bed with his parent’s worried faces, not truly understanding what was happening to him when he’d come down with a fever that lasted longer than it should’ve for any boy his age.

It’s not easy to break the silence, but amidst the unshed tears and the reality of the truth in the  room he’s standing in, Liam does so. So softly is his voice, but loud enough to be heard. “It was a way for them to ignore the fact that I was an Omega.” Humorless laughter follows after that, sounds foreign on his own tongue now that he’s miles away with the feeling of distinct unbelievability at the audacity of the lies he was given.

He doesn’t expect sympathy or anything close to it, but he sees the way Dr. Owens pulls back. It’s such a little gesture, but Liam notices the way she cringes, knowing exactly, _exactly_ what he’s on about. She’s probably had cases of bruised Omegas, not uncommon to find them treated terribly. It’s a silent society that all comes to a head and spills over when the truth of reality is spoken.

And Liam’s part of it. Smack dab in the center, and there’s nowhere else he can run, no place he can turn to but move forward.

“Liam.” It’s a gentle voice that has him brought back into focus. Dr. Owens hasn’t moved from her seat, and Liam thinks it’s partly because she doesn’t want to break into his personal space. “I’m going to give you time to think about this, okay?” She looks understanding, a knowing look in her eye, and Liam’s sure she’s probably seen a lot of freak outs like this before, not uncommon for others to flip their shit on an accidental pregnancy.

That word still sounds so weird to him.

“Right now, you don’t have a clear head, and that’s what we need for you. We’ll talk further when you’re ready.” And just like that, she’s leaving the room; she’s gone, leaving Liam alone in her office and wanting to finally curl in on himself because as much as this is about him and his fucked up position in life, this is about him, his potential offspring...

And Zayn.

Oh god, what the fuck is he supposed to do with that? He doesn’t know, and he’ll only know if Liam tells him, and that’s a whole other issue they’ll have to deal with because Liam’s damn certain they haven’t talked about that kind of future, one with a house and a white picket fence, or kids, or marriage, or anything of that nature.

It’s just never come up. It’s not like, well, it’s not like Liam hasn’t thought about it before. Those things, those domestic, everyday life kind of things are just what people _do_ , but that involves communication from both ends. And the point being here is that they’re rushing this; they’ve already skipped past other big events that are technically supposed to come first before a baby, and that leaves Liam in such a right state, a mess of emotions, that he just wants to go home and get in bed. Cocoon himself away from his problems and never leave.

That sounds bloody fantastic.

Liam makes it home in record time, to an empty, dark house, where he settles in bed, just like he planned, curling himself within the warm sheets. He sleeps on Zayn’s side of the bed this time. It’s cold until he rolls around enough to warm it up, but it smells just like his Alpha, a comfort to him when he can’t physically have Zayn there.

He’s on his back though, staring at the ceiling with the comforter drawn up to his chest, studying the patterns and faces he sees within the popcorn texture of the ceiling. It does nothing to drawn out the waves of guilt that overcome him, and as much as Liam would like to fall asleep this instant, it’s not going to happen.

From atop the covers, Liam’s hand travels down slowly to his stomach. The padding of the material doesn’t give him a very good feeling of the surface of his tummy, but it’ll do as he stretches his palm across the expanse of covered skin. Liam still can’t quite comprehend what’s happening to him because it seems as if he’s in some sort of parallel universe, and as soon as he looks down, a very odd angle indeed, he lets go, feels the thickness in his throat while trying to picture something _in_ him. Something that’ll be human once it grows big enough, that’ll be in his arms in less than a years time if he chooses to keep it.

He sucks in a breath then because he has that option. If he wants, and he’s rightfully conflicted on any course of action. Keep what he has, don’t keep it, tell Zayn, keep it from Zayn. Leave it alone and let his growing stomach speak for itself? Or figure out a way to go about this peacefully and easily.

Responsibility. Shit, Liam doesn’t think he’s ever been given this much in his life.

For now though, Liam turns on his side, hand tucked up under his chin, knees drawn up close to his chest, and he rests, just for a bit, lets his mind go blank because the idea of anything else other than something calm is too much for him to handle.

 

-

 

At this point, he’s not sure if he can fully accept it, not until everything is out in the open. There’s a lot to discuss, and Liam finds himself in a coward’s corner. There’ve been moments where he’s stood in front of the mirror, eyeing his stomach with a little bit of wonder, and a lot of grief. Essentially, it’s Liam’s way of looking for signs that he hadn’t been lied to by his parents, and his doctor, and he can’t tell which of the two, he feels, should be wrong.

In the meantime, Liam focuses - tries to focus - on what he has. He’s on a limited schedule here. He’s sure he’s going to be needing to make appointments soon, ultrasounds and the like, figure out a future plan for himself in case this thing with Zayn falls apart. And he’s really not trying to be pessimistic, but factor in a baby, and jeez, everything changes. Everything.

So for now, he appreciates this little setup they have for all that it’s worth. He settles for paying attention to Zayn a lot more, studying his movements and mannerisms, appreciating him in a new way he never thought he’d come to otherwise. He spends his hours ducking his head in shyness at Zayn’s sweet comments, and reveling in the way that Zayn just appreciates him for who he is. He hopes beyond hope that he returns the favor.

And maybe this is one of the reasons why Zayn has quit with the questions. It’s not like Liam doesn’t see them in his hazel eyes, but Liam’s been relaxed, become resolute in knowing that he literally cannot change a thing, and that once it all comes to a head, that’s when he can worry, that’s when he can feel sick again. For now, his body follows his mind and relents, and it must show because Liam feels fine. His days are well rounded with the thickness of trying too hard, and the nights become a maze of strung out thoughts that bleed over into less sleep, most of it spent watching the even breathing of Zayn’s chest, the way his features and the handles of his face meet in order to connect and shape the lines of his body.

Which of course leads to straight thoughts about genetics which never cease to soothe Liam’s growing curiosity. He wonders, often times, what their baby might look like. Perfect, he thinks, or maybe a little less with Liam’s looks. Would the slope of their nose come to a point, or play with a curve, round out to a button? Straight lines and looks that would kill. Zayn would be proud. Or clumsiness and sweet eyes. Liam would love. It’s an easy way to visualize their future reality, the idea of a baby and a party of three, the fact that he’s really with child.

Zayn shifts in his sleep, and Liam’s left there to caution his breathing, hold still so that the Alpha doesn’t wake up. But he’s surprised when he licks his lips, and Zayn shuffles closer into his warmth. “What are you doing up, babe?” Liam’s greeted with; they’re easy words filled with sleep and fondness. “It’s too late to be thinking.”

It’s a watery smile he gives in the dark, nothing his mate can see, not with the way Zayn’s buried his face into the crook of his neck, legs intertwined. “Sorry,” he mumbles, quietly, because there’s a good chance that Zayn’s already drifted off again.

But Liam’s wrong when he finds a smile forming over his skin and huff of laughter to follow. “What’sa matter, Li?” And then there’s the nuzzling that doesn’t help him; it’s so easy to fall into this, and dammit, it’s what Liam likes too, but Zayn’s already guessed it. He’s thinking; he needs room for that, and the dark is the perfect place to do it in.

“Nothing,” he gives because there’s nothing else to be said. Well, there is, but he won’t go there, can’t find it in himself to break this calmness.

Zayn’s relentless though; he’ll poke and prod and worm himself under Liam’s skin until he’s got an answer, and sometimes Liam finds that frustrating. Sometimes he just doesn’t want to speak, but he knows better, knows Zayn would rather be sleeping than bothering with small talk, but he can tell when something’s up, and he doesn’t like it when Liam’s agitated. Maybe it’s a fear on Zayn’s part, that Liam’s upset with him, or he’s just relentless because he knows what the worry truly does to Liam.

But either way, Liam’ll speak. He’ll be stubborn - especially now as Zayn nudges him with a toe - at first, and then he’ll give in like he always does because he has no resolve, and he’d rather talk then keep everything to himself. Liam’s done that for a long time, and Zayn actually listens. He cares enough to not drown out his words that might seem mindless to others.

“Just miss you.”

It takes a second or two for those words to register with Zayn. He doesn’t move, doesn’t really acknowledge the fact that Liam spoke, until suddenly he’s drawing back. And while it’s difficult to make out each other’s faces in the dark, Liam can see the outline of his face, and the frown upon his lips. “I’m right here.”

It’s not condescending, but it is skeptical, which does nothing but make Liam feel dumb. Zayn’s not at fault here though; he can’t be when Liam won’t be brave, but he’s a little mad when he’s admission only earns him confusion. “Nevermind, go back to sleep.”

“Liam,” Zayn’s voice cracks, the sleepiness still very evident. By the way he’s shuffling though, Liam wouldn’t be surprised if he turned on the bedside lamp in order to continue their conversation. “It’s not nothing.”

“I d- I can’t,” which gets caught in his throat, and it’s frustrating as fuck that he’s being like this so late at night.

“C’mere.” Zayn’s hand encircles Liam’s wrist, tightens his hold until Liam listens and turns on his side. “Something’s going on with you.”

Liam wiggles into a new position, where both he and Zayn are staring at one another, hands linked and bodies no where near touching. All it does is make the distance feel real, but sometimes it’s easier like this, when Liam’s all to himself. The space doesn’t have to mean loneliness as much as it means room to gather himself. N-not really,” he tries, but doesn’t let himself stop there. “Don’t feel like I see you enough, is all. I get you here in bed though. That’s good.”

“Do you-” Zayn cuts himself off, squeezes Liam’s hand and begins again. “I can take a night off. Like, just call up Harry and have ‘em cover.”

“No, Zayn.” Liam shakes his head, prepared to put up a fight because that’s silly. Part of what he’s said is true, but it’d also been to cover the other half of his secrets. “You can’t do that.”

“I can,” he counters. “Just let me know. I’ve only been taking any extra hours I could get, but like, s’not worth it if you feel like this.”

“Harry’s nice enough, but I don’t want you taking advantage of that because of me. I’ll be fine.”

“Liam, it’s not about Harry,” he explains. “It’s about you.” He’s a quick little thing, he is, moving closer to Liam so that their foreheads are pressed together.

Liam’s got to suck in a breath at the suddenness of his movements but eases back when Zayn continues, “I take off for your heats, but that’s, like, that’s different _._ And we’re close,” there’s obviously a grin on his face then, something Liam has to playfully push at him for, “but it’s _different_. I don’t, like, I don’t want you to get bored.”

“Bored?” Liam repeats, quickly realizing that this is turning into something far different from what he ever intended. “Zayn, I’m not, god, no; I’m not _bored_.”

“Oh. _Oh_.”

“You thought- do you think we’re boring?” he says exasperated because that hadn’t been on his mind, but if it’d been something Zayn had thought about- “Zayn, you- why didn’t you say-”

“Liam _-_ ”

“Because if we are, then we should probably do something about it. I don’t want this to go sour, or whatever, and-”

“ _Leeyum_.”

He shuts up, closes his mouth, teeth clacking against each other as he does so. “Sorry.”

“I only asked that because I didn’t know, and you’re not stupid for missing me, so stop thinking it.” Zayn nudges Liam, draws up his hand to his neck where he pets the skin. “It’s endearing that you do though, miss me, I mean. Like, I do too, but if you won’t let me take off, then we’ve always got your next heat, yeah?”

Liam nods before he thinks, the last piece of Zayn’s sentence not registering until he’s already confirmed that that solution is okay with him. It’s too late to take it back though, and it’s not that he would anyway because it’s not like he can physically tell Zayn that there’s a really, _really_ good chance he won’t be in heat any time soon. But it takes the conversation completely away from him and back to a place that’s neutral. “Sound goods,” he whispers. There’s not much else to say now. Zayn’s pretty much wrapped around Liam again at this point, steadily breathing and falling back into slumber.

He doesn’t leave Liam without a kiss though, thorough and full of love, something that puts Liam at ease for the rest of the night.

Liam’s thankful, if anything. Conversations in the dark and feeling free like this are things he can live with.

 

-

 

Decision making is not Liam’s strong suit. He’d waited a good long while before he fully let Zayn into his life. It took a lot of thought, and even then he hadn’t been sure Zayn was serious. It’s not like Liam was ever really dating material, what with his childhood full of selfish pricks who purposefully made him feel like shit for not being _male_ enough. His mother told him to ignore it; his father was just as much of a bully, if not worse.

And his sisters. Well, Nicola was too much of a daddy’s girl to listen much. She cared for Liam, but even now, they’re years apart, and Liam hasn’t talked to her much. That’s partially due to the fact that he’s close with Ruth, who used to see the bloody lips and the black and blue eyes he’d come home with. She’d tend to him when mother couldn’t, a pretty Omega who thought she wasn’t lovely because she wasn’t _slim_ enough.

Liam cried bullshit just as much as Ruth did for him.

 _Doesn’t make it right, Liam,_ she’d say. _They’re horrible to you, and a sweet boy like yourself doesn’t deserve it. They’ll get what’s coming, and soon you’ll be the one with a head held high and a smirk. Just you wait._

Liam wonders if having Zayn in his life would permit that kind of reaction now.

The ringing in his ear might give him an answer, if she decides to pick up, a last minute decision on Liam’s part because if there’s one person he can turn to without feeling lowly, it’s Ruth. He hasn’t spoken to her either in over a year, and he’s more than willing to listen to her chew him out for not keeping in touch. She’s lovely, protective, but beautiful nonetheless.

“Hullo,” her voice, and it’s definitely her voice, Liam knows, is a bit rusty, maybe a little cracked from the weather or a cold, but it’s there, and Liam huffs out one of those teary laughs because it’s just _so damn good_ to hear her.

“Hope you haven’t forgotten about me yet,” he chokes out.

“Liam? Li- is that you?”

And like the dumbass he is, Liam nods before gripping the phone tighter and practically screaming out a, “Yes, babes. Ruthie, how’ve you been?”

“Never mind me, you twat!” She sounds happy, good. Strong. “Liam, it’s really you. It’s like you disappeared. Where are ya now?”

He worries at his lip, sitting at the kitchen table and watching as the clock on the wall ticks away. Zayn’s busy asleep in the next room over. It’s nearly seven in the morning now, and he hadn’t the heart to wake him.

“At my place- Oh, I’ve not told you yet. I’ve got me own place, and like, it’s nice.”

“Good, Liam. That’s great.” And she sounds hesitant now, a little scared, maybe. Rightfully so. Liam’s not seen her in so long, and maybe it’s due time. “You’re taking care of yourself, aren’t you?”

Liam licks the front of his teeth, nails running over the table, not hard enough to cause scratches in the already hand-me-down worn wood, but it creates a subtle noise to fill the silence in the house. “About that-”

“You’re doing okay, aren’t you? You’d tell me that much, won’t lie to me now.”

“‘course not,” he laughs. “Not to you. I’m- I’m doing okay.” Admittedly, it’s the truth, somewhat. He is. He’s got his health; he’s got Zayn and a roof over his head. There’s just the other half of it he’s not really figured out just yet. “I-”

“Oy, you must be calling for something though. No ways you’ve called me up on a whim,” Ruth continues. Liam gets it though, the partial excitement, the worry for a younger sibling. He’s used to being talked over, and he’s not bothered by it this time around.

“Missed you,” he quickly says, as if someone might hear him and knock him over the head for expressing his feelings. He’d been told that once, too soft, too Omega. “Ruth,” he speaks again after a moment of silence, half expecting his sister to speak up again. “I, uh, I’d like to fill you in on some things, but like, not over the phone, maybe? It’s been awhile, but I- it’s just-”

“Liam,” she interrupts again, and he can practically feel her hand on top of his, telling him to calm down, that everything’s going to be okay. “I’ll be over as soon as you’ll have me. You just gotta say when.”

He takes a moment though, to think that through. Wonder if he could have a part of his past in his future. Ruth’s been nothing but there for Liam, and he knows she wouldn’t do anything to mess everything up for him, not like the others. And that pains him to even say because he should have Nicola here too, and his mum, and even his father. But it’s not like that; not everyone is so lucky. “When,” he says without any pause, firm and solid.

He doesn’t regret it either because even if he’s yet to meet Zayn’s family, it’s high time Liam have some familiarity in his life again.

 

-

 

“It’s so lovely, Liam.” Her cheeks are a little rounder than he remembers, hair a pale blonde and cut short to her shoulders’. She’s gorgeous, taller, a little more grown up than he remembers. She’s the same, but definitely different.

Ruth is alone when she comes. Liam half expected her to be accompanied by someone else, a mate, maybe. Although he’s pretty sure she would’ve asked about another guest.

She settles in easily enough, taking the spare bedroom in the apartment and learning the insides out of the house, where the bathroom is, the kitchen, so she knows she can help herself. Liam waits though, for the inevitable question about what he’s done with his life so far, how he’s really been now that she can physically see that he might end up lying to her.

“It’s not too big, not too small. Must be nice living here. Just outside of town, nice walking distance.”

Her genuineness surprises him, and a sadness takes hold of his heart at the thought of actually forgetting parts of his sister, his family, flesh and blood that had held him so close when he was nothing more than bones and skin that others ripped apart for their own amusement. “It’s nice,” he agrees, settling into the couch.

Ruth isn’t antsy like he thought she might be. She seems so happy to be here, a ray of light in Liam’s place. “And don’t think I wasn’t going to ask, because I’m not an idiot, you know,” she looks at him, has a little grin on her face, eyebrow raised, “someone else live here too?”

Liam flushes deeply, and there’s no way to hide the smile that glides over his face.

She squeals, practically jumping closer to Liam just to wrap him up in a hug. “And you better go on. Who’s she?”

And Liam swallows because well, yeah. That’s going to be something interesting there. He hadn’t bothered telling anyone about _that_ simply because how bad would it be being a male Omega who fancied men too? It’s not like Liam was kicked out, per say, but he can readily admit that if he hadn’t of found an Alpha female, he might’ve been living on the streets for a long while.

“It’s, well,” he laughs nervously, pulling away from his sister to grab her hands. “Ruth,” and thank god she can tell it’s serious because she straightens up and pays attention.

“Anything you need to say, you go on,” she says. “It’s just me and you here.”

Liam nods, feels the warmth in his eyes from unshed tears gathering. “Well, Zayn- he’s, uh,” and he expects shock, like, some kind of ugliness to creep over Ruth’s features. Maybe she’d draw back in disgust, or frown, or _something_ , but she doesn’t. She squeezes his hands tighter, looks at him with so much interest and patience, he could wrap her up in a hug right now and pray that she never left to go back home. “Zayn’s a bartender,” he goes on to say. “It sounds shoddy, but it’s a nice place. I think you’d like it, like Harry - he’s a coworker - and it’s nice. He’s-” Liam smiles, ducks his head.

“Smitten,” Ruth nudges him, and Liam can’t help but giggle fondly.

“Maybe a little more than that.”

And from there on out it’s easier to talk, easier to listen and fall back into what had once been between the two of them. It’s not a mistake that either of them avoid anything too heavy, Ruth guarding the past, and Liam failing to ask about it in any way shape or form except for her own life. How she’s settled into a new place, offering Liam to visit now that she’s on her own, working a job as secretary at a dentist’s office.

“He- Zayn won’t mind that I’m here, will he?” she quietly asks when their busy with a bag of popcorn and an old movie on tv. It’s late into the night, nearing midnight, and Liam knows he’s got an hour or two before his Alpha’s back.

“Ruth, he’s not like that. He’s different,” Liam hastily explains. “I’ll admit, I probably should’ve told him, but we haven’t done this before. You know, meet the family kind of stuff. Rather not scare him off.”

“Oy, leave me to make first impressions, I see how it is, kid.” She pushes him over which may or may not start a bit of a pillow fight between the two. But they’re young, and Liam’s had to grow up much too soon. He smiles more with Zayn around, but nothing stops the bubble of laughter that escapes from deep within his chest.

A sound that doesn’t cease when the front door opens, and the two of them are interrupted by a very confused Zayn.

Liam’s eyes are bright when he takes the Alpha’s hand in his, tugs him forward into the living room to find Ruth smiling too, dimples on both sides of her grin, pillow dangling from the timid grip she’s got on it. “Hello,” she chirps.

“Zayn,” Liam begins, knowing he’s confused but looking mildly entertained. “This is Ruth,” he nods, “my sister.”

Zayn’s the first to reach forward with a hand outstretched. He does well with stranger’s, and it’s easy to see that Ruth’s already taken with him. Her eyes study his frame, careful calculations while their hands meet, and it’s quite noticeable when she pulls away and smirks at Liam. “You didn’t mention he was handsome.”

Liam only has to look at Zayn to know he’s flushed. He doesn’t get shy often, his exuberant personality doing more for him than it ever would for Liam. “Ruth,” he hisses.

“C’mon, I’ve missed out on this!” she insists. “Embarrassing my baby brother’s going to be a pastime for me. But alright,” she throws the pillow back onto the couch before facing the boys again, “I think it’s time for bed; I’ll leave you at it.” Ruth pulls Liam into a hug, pressing her lips against his cheek and smiling softly when she draws back, only to tell him, “I’m happy for you,” and leaves it at that. Zayn receives a smile before she’s gone, disappearing down the hall and leaving the two of them alone together.

“Sorry,” Liam says, breaking the silence.

Zayn’s left to roll his eyes and pinch the underside of Liam’s arm. “How many times am I going to have to tell you not to say that anymore?”

Liam looks up through his eyelashes in order to respond. “I hope her being here isn’t a problem? I know I didn’t run it over with you, but like, I don’t-”

“Does her being here make you happy?” Zayn asks, interrupting Liam.

He nods, no hesitation because it does. It’s a good feeling having his apartment full of things he loves. And it’s been so long too since he’s seen anyone he’s related to, and Ruth’s the only person in his family he can honestly imagine being in his life from here on out. He’d been scared before, kept up-to-date with her via limited contact, text message and whatnot, but nothing big, not since he left. It’d been lonely, to go from a full house to just one, but things are good now. They’re great, and maybe he’s taking advantage of Zayn’s kindness by not talking things out with him, making decisions with family, but his eyes are warm and hazel, not a trace of anger, and Liam feels good.

“More than you’ll ever know.”

 

-

 

“I think this is that moment where I’m supposed to tell you not to break his heart.”

It’s Ruth, and Liam can hear them from the kitchen. He’d slept in, Saturday being a glorious day for those kinds of things, but Zayn’s up too, tinkering around the kitchen, probably cooking breakfast and making some tea to go along with it.

“It’s only fair,” Zayn agrees. “Hit me with a lengthy speech if you need to.”

Something’s sizzling on the stove, probably eggs. Liam should join them, not sit here and wait out a conversation, but he feels like this is important. Whatever they say to each other will leave Liam with more than food for thought.

“Didn’t know he had a sister.”

“Oh? There’s another. Not just me.” Ruth says, sounding mildly surprised. It’s not like Liam hadn’t meant to mention it; it just never really came up, wasn’t ever something Liam felt like he _needed_ to talk about when everything was so lovely already. Eventually Zayn might’ve probed, asked about that kind of stuff, about home, about his life before, but a lot of the reason it hadn’t been spoken about had to do with the fact that they were caught up in the moment of _them_. “Can’t say I’m offended though. Wouldn’t expect Liam to talk about much of anything.”

“Was it bad?” Zayn clears his throat, the spatula grazing the iron. “Like, he’s not mentioned it, but when we met, he- pretty much like, I guess he thought I wasn’t serious. I can be playful, I think,” and Liam imagines him shaking his head, “but I wouldn’t joke like that, especially not with him. He’s proper fit, and when he gets excited, like, he lights up.”

Ruth’s probably biting her lip, blush to her cheeks because she’s smiling so wide. “It’s not something I’ll comment on, not really. I think it’s high time you ask him, but his scars run deep, to childhood, Zayn.” Her voice grows a little deeper, more concerned, but still in good spirits. She sets her cuppa down, Liam knows, because the sound of glass on wood is all too familiar. And he could stop her; at this point Liam’s holding his breath, steady and quiet, because she’s got the potential to spill everything, his demons that haunt him, those times in school when he was picked on, how he’d come home and it wasn’t too much better because disappointment in a parent’s eyes is just as cruel as sticks and stones and words that break bones. “He wasn’t liked much. Probably consider him the runt of the litter, I would. First we didn’t think he’d make it, just a babe and sick, and kids at school were awfully mean.”

Liam stands, hands on the door handle to their bedroom, ready to go before she goes further into her and Zayn’s conversation, but the most he finds himself doing is leaning his forehead against it, waiting for someone to say something, for the clacking of plates to cease, for Zayn to ask why Liam’s _too shy_ and _nervous_ , why he ducks his head in public, lets Zayn pull him to his chest as if that’s all the protection he’ll ever need from the stares and pushy Alphas because they _know_ he’s the Other. And more importantly, he waits, on baited breath, for Zayn to wonder what in the world caused Liam to think so poorly of himself, why it took so long just to find an Alpha that’d at least _like_ him for more than wet heat and a good fuck.

And maybe that’s what all of this boils down to now, why Liam’s having trouble figuring out where to go with his relationship with Zayn. Things had been fine, but throw in an unexpected pregnancy and a cruel past, and hell, they’re all in for a joyride. The inadequacy kind of paralyzes him, and Liam thinks he’s never truly had a self-actualization hit him this hard before. It’d been easier to find that he preferred men over women, easy enough to accept that his body wasn’t made to knot, but now it boils down to the fact that Zayn’s Liam’s _first_ Alpha, and more than anything Liam would be happy with the promise of forever - can feel that revelation deep in his chest - but as much as things in this world are geared towards monogamy and soul mates, Liam knows the outcome, the statistics. Worse, he hates himself for thinking Zayn could be apart of it. He hasn’t given Liam any doubts that he’d cheat or leave him.

But what Ruth says rings true. All those thoughts of not being good enough, they date back to years of societies teachings, drilled into young minds that didn’t know any better. They’re embedded so deeply into Liam’s subconscious that at this point he’s waiting for the hourglass to run out of sand, for the joker to pop out and tell him _time’s up_.

“-haven’t known him very long, not like you’re supposed to, I guess. But I don’t care,” Zayn’s saying, possibly with a dopey smile. “Like, I proper love him, I think, and it’s nonsense that others think that’s ridiculous, that they think Liam’s the one absurd ‘cuz he’s not. Like, Liam’s not. He’s something I didn’t know I needed.”

It’s hard to swallow down the choked feeling in his throat, and Liam thinks his hands are shaking a bit. Happy tears, they are, gathering in his eyes, and maybe this is the direction he’s supposed to go in. He thinks he can decide now, probably a bit unfair of him to wait for such a detailed expression of love from someone he’s supposed to understand, but something warm settles in Liam’s chest, and it feels so nice.

“You can’t fix him, but you can show him,” Ruth finishes, and that’s that. They’re finished, moved on to brighter topics and silly jokes that manages to make the both of them crack up.

And although Liam’s left out, two people he finds so important in his life thinking he’s asleep, it’s okay. He hadn’t had a doubt on whether they would like one another or not, and it feels good knowing he wasn’t wrong.

 

-

 

It’s the last day she’ll be here, and Liam’s not afraid to admit that he’ll miss her. However, real life is a thing, and he knows that she’s got a job and her own world to get back to. Liam also knows she’ll be over more often than not, probably even inviting herself over if it comes down to it, and Liam’s just grateful he’d had the idea to call her. For now though, they sit at a busy cafe, the one Zayn had taken Liam to on their first date. Liam had felt antsy, and Ruth suggested they go out.

“It’s nice out here. I can see why you settled down in a place like this.”

And it’s the truth. He doesn’t live too far from home, not miles and miles just in case he’d ever be welcomed back, but there’s distance and familiarity all in one. “I like it enough.”

Although truly, Liam’s mind is elsewhere. Zayn had departed for the day, back to the bar, something about last minute shipments that needed to be dealt with, and that was fine. It’s normal for him to work a bit of overtime, and it meant that Liam could finally work up the courage to actually talk to Ruth.

It’s not like he hadn’t been doing it before either, it’s just that, everything before had been like walking on eggshells.

“You’re going to have to spill before I leave tonight, you know that? Something’s eating at you, and I’m not that daft.”

Liam grins behind his tea mug as he takes a quick sip. Always able to read him, she was, though now he wishes she could just read his mind, get this over with quickly. “There is,” he admits. “Not sure how you’re going to like me after, though.”

“Survived with you all these years, haven’t I?” she teases. “Suppose I could do it again.”

He takes a good look around, the cafe not as packed, but still filled with people who’re minding their own business, that haven’t really given him or his sister a second glance since they walked in. “It’s a big something, innit? You only avoid things when you’re nervous.”

There’s no stopping the clenching of his teeth, nor the way he sharply looks back at her. “Haven’t told Zayn neither, Ruthie. You gotta keep it between us.”

That seems to do the trick, makes her sit up a little straighter, lean over the table just a bit more so she can hear him. They’ve got the corner to themselves, but Liam tends to feel like his voice is too loud in public places like this, where echoes exist and people eavesdrop. “Out with it, then.”

Her hand waves, rolls in such a way so he knows she wants him to hurry up with it, and it’s not easy though. Liam still bites at his lip and wonders if he’s doing the right thing by telling his own flesh and blood before Zayn. He ought to know first, he thinks, but maybe it’ll help him if he’s got some support.

 _If_ she supports him. Being an Omega is one thing; bringing a child into the world is another.

“Couple of weeks ago,” Liam starts, settles his cup onto the table, smoothes out his palms onto its surface in an effort to channel his inner emotions, wring them out to dry, “I got a bit sick. Like- like it was a stomach virus, or something.” Liam pauses, but when he sees the way Ruth’s brow raises, eyes quickly filling with concern, he hurriedly adds, “But it wasn’t. Nothing deadly, not dying.” There’s a bit of an awkward smile thrown in there as well, Liam thinking that maybe it’ll help lessen the tension, but it doesn’t exactly serve its purpose when Ruth looks pointed, tight like a rubber band about ready to snap if he doesn’t just spit it out. “I got it checked out just a week or two ago, and like, it’s news I didn’t think I’d ever hear.”

“Liam,” she says, tone low in warning. “You best not be messing with me.”

“Pregnant,” Liam quickly spills, the word - the foreign word slipping off his tongue in such a messy way, that he blushes, breathes through his nose and sits back in his seat. His stomach feels like something’s dragged it’s claws over it, leaving it open and bloated in such an unflattering way. And it most certainly doesn’t stop his shoulders from caving in, an effort to make Liam smaller, to shy away from the truth. It’s the first time he’s exposed anyone to _that_ term, without a doctor present, at least. The way it sounds in his head is nothing compared to how it sounds coming out of his mouth, let alone flowing through his ears.

“What?” Ruth deadpans. She draws back too, sharp, kind of like a snake. She’s neutral, but Liam can see the way her brain is running after a reply. “Like, _pregnant_ pregnant? You know, little bean growing into fully fledged human kind of pregnant?” Ruth gestures here, thumb and forefinger starting off barely separated before her arms get a little wider to indicate an actually baby. “Or is there a definition I might’ve missed?” She reaches forward, grabs at Liam’s wrist and doesn’t let it go.

“Well,” Liam lamely shrugs, “when you put it that way…”

“Right,” she drawls, eyes wide.

Which, Liam can’t blame her. He can’t say he’d hoped for her to jump for joy at the mere mention of a baby, but like, at least maybe she could be a little enthusiastic, or just, you know, tell him that everything’s going to be okay even if it isn’t.

“Humor me, please,” he says, curling out of Ruth’s grip for her hand instead.

“And Zayn doesn’t know-”

“You can’t tell him!”

“Liam, I’m pretty sure this isn’t possible,” Ruth says, completely ignoring Liam’s previous statement. At this point, she’s probably not even concerned with Zayn like Liam is.

And then comes the sigh, a large, drawn out, over exaggerated sigh on Liam’s part that aids in releasing the tightness in his chest. “Could’ve fooled me.”

“You’re going to have to-” Well, he thought too soon, then.

Liam nods, doesn’t need her input on that front because yeah, yeah that’s still a thing he’s going to have to do. Zayn and all that. “I’m telling you because I thought you’d wanna know. The house and Zayn were one thing, but I think it’d be a bit unfair to show up next time with a crib and a crying babe.” He laughs, humorlessly, the only way to cope at this point.

Ruth takes it as a sign though to switch seats, moving her chair closer to Liam so that not only is his hand still in her grasps, but she’s holding his other hand too. “Advice,” she reasons. “That’s what you’re looking for?”

That’s a good guess, yes; he needs that, absolutely, but, “Maybe support? Like, I don’t- keeping it and all that,” he shrugs, hoping she understands. It’s all up in the air.

Ruth though, bless her, just smiles, squeezes Liam’s hand again so he knows she’s there. “Of course I will. Whatever, you’ve got me. Think you ought to talk this one out though.”

“If only it were that simple-”

She hushes him, shakes her head. “It is. S’not gonna be easy, and I know what you’re thinking. Lots of things, about why you weren’t told - fuck ‘em, Liam; I’m sorry - to how scared you must be, and then Zayn.”

“I’ll lose him,” he admits; it’s a fear of his he’s got to face, and whether it’s true or not, he doesn’t know.

“Can’t sit here and say you won’t because I don’t read minds,” and she’s only being kind with him, gentle in such a truthful way, “but more than anything, I doubt it. That boy’s head over heels for you, and if we were any place else, I’d probably whack you upside the head for thinkin’ otherwise.”

“But Ruth-”

“No,” she settles for smacking his hand instead, way more subtle, but with a sting of pain that has Liam’s jaw snapping shut. “You’re stubborn. You don’t think you are, but you are. The right thing to do is to _tell him_ , and Liam,” Ruth softens her look, tries not to look too reprimanding because Liam is trusting her with this, “whatever happens, happens. You can put it off for as long as ya want, but it’s not going to make a lick of a difference. Just think, instead of worrying all by a your lonesome, the both of you could be enjoyin’ it _together_.”

And she’s right. Yes, of course she is. Liam’s been sensible, but that never just happened all on its own. He’s not afraid to admit he’d had to have gotten it from somewhere, and maybe now’s the first time he’s seeing it for himself. “Why do you always have to be right?” he whispers.

Ruth scoffs. “‘m not, trust me. Made plenty of mistakes, and you leavin’ my sight was one of ‘em.”

Liam can’t really find it in himself to thank her properly. He should because she’s helped more than she’ll ever know, but the words are locked away behind a jittery mind and a plate of food being settled in front of them, both having ordered prior to their conversation.

“So,” Ruth starts, about ready to bring her fork up to her mouth to eat. “You thought of any names yet?”

And she’s done it on purpose, taking a bite of food so that leaves Liam left the daunting thought of baby names. He doesn’t have too much of a reaction, just a widening of the eyes with Ruth chewing her food, a severe grin on her face. “Haven’t thought about that actually.”

“Just choose something fitting, yeah? Wouldn’t want my niece or nephew walkin’ around with some oddball name.”

Liam, despite his manners, rips off a piece of his roll and chucks it at Ruth. She manages to duck just in time, a laugh following soon after.

“We’ll see,” Liam says, and when they’ve finally quieted down, mild conversation going between the two of them as they eat, Liam can feel the start of something akin to excitement settle deep within his chest. Having a little one is all sorts of scary, but the prospect of a name might bring about a means to an end.

 

-

 

Liam’s not had an appointment since the first go around, but he does keep in contact with his doctor via the phone. He’s waiting, and he knows the longer that he puts this off, the more he’s preventing the care he needs that comes with being pregnant. With Ruth gone - albeit just a phone call away - Liam’s decided to wait just a little longer, closer to what would be his next heat so that’ll give both Zayn and him the time off to discuss this.

He’s not pressured or anything like that. Dr. Owens is a very nice woman who kindly understands, warns him, if anything, about waiting too long and the potential hazard of losing the baby, but Liam asks for just another week or so before he’ll come in again.

It all passes quickly too. The first week is mostly spent with rehearsing, gathering up the courage to actually say something, how he’ll say it, what his own response will be according to Zayn’s reaction. Which means he has to prepare for any and all scenarios.

Liam also takes great care in monitoring his appearance, it becoming routine to check on himself via the mirror for any signs that he might be showing. Now, there’s still the minor cases of nausea, but that’s mostly faded and replaced with hunger, not so many cravings as there are aches. His bones sometimes feel a bit brittle, and he swears he can feel the extra weight creeping up on his body. And by weight, he mostly means the way his stomach now has a soft curve to it instead of the taut muscles he’d been sporting before. It’s not very noticeable, not unless someone’s specifically looking for it, but it’s there, and Liam’s positive Zayn would pick up on it were he to give Liam a very thorough examination in bed.

And oh yeah, there’s the nipples. Well, _breasts_ , Doctor Owens had corrected, _a side effect of being pregnant, my dear; that baby’s gotta eat somehow._ They’re mostly just tender for now, and the doc had reassured him that they wouldn’t be like a woman’s, but the idea that his chest is expected to expand along with his tummy, it’s like a makeover, right, one he hadn’t asked for.

Though it’s towards the end of what would be the second week that things finally come to a head. Liam can’t put it off forever, and when he’s invited out to the bar on a Friday night, he agrees easily.

Apparently Harry’s meeting up with a friend, Niall, or something like that for his birthday, and Zayn had felt like there’d be no point celebrating if Liam wasn’t there with him.

So his day goes normally, getting up for work, going to work, fixing computer’s and whatever other issues the technology challenged co-workers of his had going on. Getting ready, deciding to dress a little nicer than normal, more so to impress than anything else. Walk to the car, get to the bar…

And effectively sit outside, fingers drumming against the steering wheel while his stomach does nervous flip-flops, hoping that maybe his empty stomach won’t actually decide to upheave itself.

A chorus of _you can do this_ plays amongst the other running thoughts in his mind. Liam hasn’t exactly planned when he would decide to spill his secret, certainly when he’s got a chance with Zayn by himself - maybe after closing, when Zayn’s busy cleaning up the bar a bit - or Liam could possibly yell it over the chatter in the room and use that as a way to relieve any kind of tension that might result from his truth.

All in all, there’s no one plan. Liam’s just gonna wing it, which is what makes him nervous. Plans and calculations make sense to him, and now he feels like he’s going into a war zone without any kind of idea of what he should do; there’s no lead, no sign that might give him a bright idea in order to make this easier on himself.

So he sighs. Selfishness isn’t wanted right now, so Liam sucks it up, slips out of the car and heads straight for the pub. By the time he gets to the door, pulling it open, he’s met with bursts of laughter from drunkards and voices that spill into all sorts of different conversations. It’s apparently a busy night, the place extremely crowded. Liam tends to avoid the weekends, given Zayn’s stories about too much going on at one time and the bar needing to hire a new hand; it’s a little much for his mind to handle.

However, his observations are left where they are as soon as Liam runs his eyes over the entire place, spotting Zayn behind the counter, busy filling up glasses, a white rag draped over his shoulder. He looks good, not at all like he had this morning, though, when Liam had kissed him goodbye, Zayn’s face still buried into his pillow because he’d been too tired to see Liam off. He’s got a bright smile on his face now, aimed at everyone, occasionally laughing, lips pull back and tongue pressed behind his teeth. It lifts Liam’s spirits a bit, finding a grin spreading across his own face because Zayn existing like this, him happy, is all Liam ever wants.

He imagines that smile directed at him - it has been before, different circumstances - but maybe that reaction will happen tonight. Maybe Zayn’s eyes will light up and sparkle in a very special way (with thoughts of Zayn as a father, how perfect he’ll be, that it shows through his kindness and work ethic. How humble, and outspoken, and possibly a little crazy he is too), or he could frown, light dimming at the realization that Liam’s locked him into some kind of relationship for good.

Liam breathes, steadily, deeply, blinks and refocuses his attention on Zayn, the only priority here. He’ll have a good time, say hello to Harry, more than likely be introduced to his friend. Laugh and enjoy himself like he should, and all of this seems to go by in slow motion, like each step he takes is longer than just the actual few seconds it really is. Liam ignores everything around him in order to get to Zayn; he’ll wait by the bar for as long as he has to until he’s noticed, and he’ll play everything by ear from there on out.

But then it’s like he’s snapped back to reality; the sense of confidence he’d been given by looking at Zayn is completely ripped from him when a presumptuous voice rings out with words like knives that send a chill down Liam’s spine, “Oh, well aren’t you a pretty, little Omega bitch.”

He stops, lord knows why he does it; Liam could’ve just walked on and not payed attention with the off chance that he’s not being talked to either. However, it brings up his first encounter with Zayn, the way Alpha’s are known to be disrespectful and arrogant beyond belief. So Liam can’t help but flinch at words he hadn’t expected to hear again any time soon (naive of him to think that maybe that part was over with), in the middle of the room, surrounded by the smell of cheap beer and laughter.

And then he sees him out of the corner of his eye, a table or two over from where he’s standing, looking directly at Liam with intent and purpose. So Liam doesn’t wait this time around; he’s got the upper hand in removing himself from the situation, and he hopes that this isn’t an indication that this night is about to go horribly wrong. He can’t afford anything getting fucked, himself included.

Yet, there’s another catcall along with, “Stingy too. How about you come over here for a bit, sit on my lap before I take you home and fuck it out of you?”

Liam’s heart, well, it jumps up into his throat once he realizes that they’re not going to go away and leave him be. There’s a whistle next, and it’s like he’s stuck trying to figure out what to do - confront them, leave it alone, defend himself, find Zayn. And it’s not like the better part of the bar is even paying attention to the lewd comments given that the place is pretty packed. The television’s going, a soft breeze of music on the other side of the room, wide bouts of laughter that Liam so wishes he could be apart of.

Which is when, in that very moment, Liam manages to gain Zayn’s attention. It’s like seeing the light at the end of a tunnel, or some other grand analogy for the amount of relief flowing through his veins. Although it’s very short-lived, slow motion once again and all that, when he feels a hand slide around his wrist, Liam pulled away from the shine of Zayn’s eyes once he’d recognized Liam was here in the same room as him.

“Either you don’t listen very well, or you’re playing hard to get. Fun.”

Liam’s toes curl in his shoes, feeling the distaste smoothe across his tongue. He hopes that Zayn can see what’s going on, not quite sure how much the patrons at the bar are blocking his view. Liam just wants out now though; being here and feeling trapped like this isn’t worth it, and having to rely on sticking around Zayn and Harry so he doesn’t have any issues like this is more trouble than it’s worth. Not necessarily a burden, but it’s like he attracts attention when he never wants it.

“Please let go,” he proceeds. Civil. That’s a good thing he’ll be.

But well, he should’ve known it wouldn't have worked. Fingers are tightened; Liam’s wincing, and there’s a few more words spoken, him tuning out the mockery and the blatant way that this man has no regards for Liam’s well being, no respect. No nothing.

And it’s then, that it dawns on Liam, brings him to a painstaking reality and heightens his already corrupted emotions; in the wake of waiting for Zayn to hopefully come over and sort this situation out (Liam knowing he can’t do anything too drastic given that he can’t afford a fight), Liam realizes he’s been worried, too adamant about Zayn’s reaction to his pregnancy, that he hadn’t taken into consideration on what bringing a baby into this world would actually mean. Sure, his life would change and everything upon deciding he should keep it, but Liam hadn’t thought, hadn’t bothered to realize that his kid would be a part of him. That very child would be a boy or a girl, and if they turned out similar to Liam, a boy, an _Omega_ , then this shit would happen too. He’d relive everything Liam had to endure - the possibly of teasing, the groping, the goddamn elitist way that Alphas were, and that, that’s the moment that Liam frowns deeply, glares at the hand wrapped around his wrist.

He doesn’t wait for Zayn, not this time, not as his hand curls into a fist, pulling harshly until he’s free. And with every ounce of malice in his body, Liam tells him to, “Fuck off. Don’t touch me again, or you’ll regret it.”

There’s no doubt that the Alpha before him is startled, obviously not used to defiant behavior, but Liam’s done. He’s done with being looked at as something useful for sex, and he’s tired of having to cower away, wait for a knight in shining armor to come and save him because no one is willing to take an Omega seriously.

What Liam doesn’t expect though, and had hoped wouldn’t happen, is the Alpha before him making a second attempt. This time, he grabs the front of Liam’s shirt, leading him closer to his face, eyes narrowed with too much confidence riddled inside eyes that Liam knows he’d never find charming. “Feistiness isn’t something I like too much.”

“Then it’s a good thing I’m not going home with you tonight,” he fires back, regrets it soon afterwards when he notices the way the man’s eyes burn with intent Liam’s not privy too.

However, Liam, bless him, is saved, at the last second when Zayn intervenes. He speaks; that’s all he has to do for him to grab the attention of both Liam and the other Alpha who has wicked intentions. “Something wrong?” he asks, addressing the other male. Zayn’s feathers are ruffled; it’s easy to tell by the downturn of his lip, how his shoulders are tense, and he looks anything but cordial.

“You know how it is,” the man speaks, loosening his grip on Liam as if to show that there’s no harm being done. “Omega’s being tricky and all that.”

Zayn hums, a low deep vibration that isn’t strictly heard over the loudness in the room, but Liam notices the way his throat moves, lips parting and reconnected as if he’s every intention of speaking. “Then I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean,” Zayn replies. “All the Omega’s I’ve ever had were willing, s’long as they’d been given a little respect in return. Romance, and the like.”

He then reaches forward, cups the fingers of the Alpha’s hand in his before his grip turns sharp, nails bluntly digging into skin, careful that they don’t get caught up in the fabric of Liam’s shirt. Zayn doesn’t let go, even as the male hisses and backs away from the both of them, finally releasing Liam’s hold until Zayn’s able to get him into a very peculiar position: his back is up against a table, Zayn still clutching the man’s hand, no doubt about to draw blood at a moment’s notice. Liam knows Zayn would’ve twisted his arm around had he a better grip on the male.

But since he doesn’t, Zayn’s got to work this to his advantage, words becoming his strong point here, and Liam, well, he doesn’t stop him. “See, like it or not, Omegas are strangely just like us, and I don’t appreciate them being abused by assholes who think with their knot.”

“Prick,” is the response Zayn receives, eyes a little nervous now that he’s being overpowered by someone just a smudge shorter than himself. “He’s just a fucking-”

And in less than five seconds, Zayn’s got the man’s head against the closest table, having slammed it down and startled everyone who’d been sitting there. They all look a little taken aback, wondering why the friendly bartender’s suddenly a lot more aggressive, but they just sit there as Zayn gets close, smiles sardonically down at the male he’s got pinned down. “Talk to him, touch him, _or_ look at him again, and I’ll purposefully make sure you won’t be capable of all three. Certainly that’ll make it difficult for you to bed an Omega again.”

Liam manages to catch the entirety of Zayn’s one-sided conversation. He can’t see much of Zayn’s face from this angle, but he doesn’t have to, already knowing he’s angry. He’s not one to make much of a scene if he can avoid it, but Liam understand that his actions are partially justified. “Zayn,” he says, shuffling forward and reaching out to cradle his upper arm.

He’s nearly shoved back though, Zayn probably thinking he’s someone else, a threat, until Zayn’s turning to stare at Liam. He’s eyes go soft immediately, relents his hold on the Alpha before he steps away completely. “You okay?” he addresses Liam, concern written across his features. His hands lift to cup Liam’s face, so delicately as if he might break. All Liam can do is give a mediocre smile.

“Fine,” he answers, but he blinks, feeling the curl of Zayn’s fingers on his flesh, brushing against his cheeks. “Can I- can I talk to you, please?” His voice cracks despite trying to hold himself together, and as much as he wishes Zayn hadn’t noticed, he does. His anguish doesn’t dissipate, not as Zayn lets go of Liam, slides an arm around his waist, makes a motion over at the bar (where Liam finds Harry standing, eyes determined and possibly wondering if he should step in to help) before he ushers Liam out into the night, keeping a close distance and away from anyone else he thinks might bring harm.

As soon as they’re outside, Zayn rounds on him, pulling Liam in close, hands skittering across his clothed-covered skin as if he might find an exorbitant wound. “You just attract trouble, don’t you?” Zayn says, a small amount of levity in his voice. “As soon as we get back inside, I’m having him kicked out.”

But Liam shakes his head. It’s not in response to Zayn’s statement, but rather at the fact that he’s a bit shaken, maybe, that things have come around full circle in such a way that this is how they began, and maybe this is how they’ll end. Liam can’t hold back any longer; and maybe it’s shitty to do this when Zayn’s so worried about him, but things have been left unsaid long enough.

Only, Liam even beats himself to the punch, words slipping out before he has a chance to wrangle them down and _think_ before he’s speaking. “I think we should break up.”

It’s, well, it’s not so much awkward as it is weird. Liam’s still in Zayn’s grasp, pulled close against his chest, the only two people out on the side walk. Their only true interruption is their breathing and the fact that there’s music coming from the buildings near them.

“Wait-” Zayn immediately draws back, doesn’t push Liam away, but holds him out at an arm’s length with such perplexity that Liam would very much like to kiss it off his face. Adorable, even in serious times. “ _What?_ Liam, what’s this about?”

By now though, Liam’s a bit of a mess, mix in the shaking of his hands, the anxiety, and the brick that feels as if it’s suddenly landing in his stomach, he doesn’t feel so good. “I’ve- um, like, there’s-” It’s difficult to get oxygen into his lungs, and he thinks this must what a panic attack feels like.

It’s not even settled when Zayn reaches around to cradle the back of his neck, so carefully, so concerned for his wellbeing. “Babe, ‘m right here, yeah? Something’s going on; we’ll talk it out.”

Liam nods, closes his eyes and grips Zayn’s arm for support. “I’m different,” he finally says, voice small. “Like, _bad_ different, Z-Zayn.”

“Where’s this coming from?”

But Liam can’t give him any answers unless they’re direct thoughts he’s thinking. He can’t imagine what he looks like, so not like himself, and he’s just thankful Zayn’s still holding on, even if for a little while yet.

“Went to the doctor a while ago,” Liam says, chewing on his lip straight afterwards.

That doesn’t seem to settle Zayn any, his grip tightening around Liam’s waist now that he’s pulled him back in closer. “Yeah, and like, how’d that go?” He sounds small too, agitated, and Liam can only imagine that this is what he must’ve looked like when the doc had asked him to meet her rather than give him his news over the phone, scared and with thoughts of dying. “You’ll be okay, won’t you?”

“‘m not dying,” Liam answers.

“Liam, if you just give me like-”

“Zayn,” Liam rushes, knowing what Zayn’s going for. He’s got to get back inside; he needs to get back to work, but Liam figures Zayn’ll do the opposite and ask Harry to cover him, which’ll only lead to the place being understaffed. And it’s not fair like this, to speak, and then send Zayn on his way, but it’s now or never because Liam knows he’s not going to find it in himself any other time. “I’m pregnant.”

The words, too simple, yet able to hold so much impact, fall from his lips without breaking into pieces. His voice doesn’t waver, and he looks determinedly at Zayn so he knows that he’s not playing around, that this isn’t a joke.

“I’m sorry,” he continues; there’s silence to fill, and maybe he can talk his way out of this without Zayn disliking him too much. “Was gonna tell you, but I didn’t know how. Like, this shouldn’t be possible, but I guess it is because I’m a genetic freak of nature.” He shrugs, eyes darting away from Zayn’s, can already feel them wet with unshed tears. The Alpha’s grip has gone slack at this point, and Liam uses that to his advantage by slipping away, just a few steps, but it seems like such a wide gap that he can feel the ache in his chest.

“L-” Zayn starts; Liam knows he’s got something to say now, probably still shocked but trying to make sense of Liam’s confession, but instead, he finds himself rambling. A compulsion of his, but he’s upset, and Zayn needs to know _all_ of it. “And I haven’t even told you about my fucked up family, have I? Like, I put this off because I didn’t want you to feel like I was making you stay or anything. I know,” he snickers, like, one of those humorless little things, emotions caught between a fine line of laughing hysterically at his misfortune or crying, “I know Alphas aren’t always monogamous, or whatever, and like, it’s not that I’ve doubted you, but you have to know what this means. For me, for you, everything.”

Zayn’s just, well, he’s just standing there, face a blank slate where Liam can’t read a single thing on him. It’s startling, for once, that he can’t place the other male’s emotions, but Liam thinks it’s rightfully so; he probably doesn’t deserve to any more.

So he aims to go on, finish what he’s saying before Zayn holds a hand up, quiets Liam before he speaks. “I want you to stay here, okay?” He motions to Liam, but keeps his eyes focused. “I’m going to go inside for a moment, and I’ll be right back.”

“But I-”

“ _Stay_ here.” And then he turns on his heel, not waiting for Liam to comment before he’s disappearing within the bar, leaving Liam out here alone in the night. The debate on leaving he has with himself is shorte. For one, it’d be easy to grab his keys and head out, run away from his problems, but two, there’s not much time to make such a decision and execute them because Zayn’s returned by then, jacket wrapped around his body, reaching for Liam’s hand until their fingers are intertwined. “Let’s go home, babe.”

“You’re working!” Liam protests, digs his heels into the ground so that Zayn can’t pull him further along. It’s a lousy attempt at trying to further avoid the problem, but clearly Zayn’s not having it.

“Liam,” Zayn says calmly, eyebrows slightly raised. “I’m pretty sure this deserves my full attention.”

And it does; Zayn’s not lying about that, so Liam nods once and follows him to one of their cars. “We’ll come back for yours tomorrow.”

So it’s settled, and rightfully so when Zayn opens the passenger side to let Liam in first. The door is then shut without much as a comment or gentleness, but Liam expects that this is just the calm before the storm, before Zayn gets home and freaks the fuck out.

Liam knows, for certain, that he’d be doing the same.

 

-

 

It’s surprising to Liam that Zayn’s patient with him as they get into the house. The car ride had been silent, tense, with Zayn’s fingers curled around the steering wheel, clearly white from the tightness, probably trying to reign in everything he wanted to say.

Liam settles inside though, jacket thrown across the back of the couch. And while he makes to sit down, he thinks better of it, pacing the room instead. In the process, he can only rub a hand over his face, physically covering his mouth so he won’t say anything lest it be muffled. Zayn’s there, probably, in the threshold of the living room door, waiting for something unless he decides to ignore it all and head for bed.

But Liam can stand still, nor can he keep to himself for very long. Fidgeting is the best thing he’s capable of at the moment, fingers picking at the fabric of his jeans, the ends of his shirt, anything. “I’m sorry.” The inside of his cheek will probably be sore by the time he’s through chewing on it. He doesn’t feel the pain of his teeth though as he does it, too anxious.

“You shouldn’t be,” Zayn replies, arms crossed over his chest as he continues to lean against the frame of the door.

Which makes Liam look over at him with wide eyes. “How are you so patient, so _calm_ about this?” Liam asks, a mild amount of hysteria to his voice. “I’m _freaking_ the fuck out, and you’re over there-”

He cuts himself off, half the reason is because Zayn’s walking towards him. The place is dark, save for a lamp in the room that Liam likes to leave on if no one’s home, just to give the place the appearance that someone is. But then Zayn’s got him by the shoulders, slides his hands down his bare arms. “We’re gonna have a baby.”

Liam furrows his brows. “Yeah, but that’s beside the-”

Zayn, well, the most gorgeous smile takes over his face, holding Liam’s hands and pulling him close until an arm’s delicately wrapped around his waist. “Wait, I don’t-”

“Liam,” Zayn states, voice lower. “Before you get worked up again over nothing, I’m not angry.” Taking Liam’s chin in his free hand, Zayn makes sure he’s listening. “ _Not_ angry,” he repeats, mouth curling around the syllables just in case Liam hadn’t heard. “Confused, maybe. A little concerned about you, but no.”

“You don’t hate me, like, upset?”

All Zayn can do is rest his palm against the curve of Liam’s backside, fingers brushing up against his body in a smooth caress, an attempt to soothe him. “No,” Zayn shakes his head, a little put off with the idea that Liam honestly thinks that. “Never.”

“And what if I told you that there’s a good possibility that I told Ruth before you?”

“It’s still a no, babe.”

“Oh.”

Zayn snorts. “Oh? You say it like it’s a bad thing, hmm.”

In return, Liam smiles softly. “You’re really okay with this? Like, there’s a _baby_ in there.” He looks down, indicating his stomach, and just kind of, well, stares. “That’s so _weird_ , Zayn. It’s… I didn’t know.”

It looks like Zayn’s uncertain of his next move until he seems to decide on what to do next. Which, as it turns out, is to effectively and softly, poke Liam’s stomach. “In here?” he questions, and at first Liam thinks he’s serious (after slapping his hand), only to find there’s a grin on his face. “Sorry.”

“Yes,” Liam says anyway, “in there.”

“Parents, huh.”

“Like, did you, um, did you want kids?” is the question that Liam finds himself asking. He’s extremely relieved, possibly on the side of feeling out of place that Zayn’s taking this so well; he’s not freaking out, and Liam can’t decide whether he should be happy about that or kindly upset.

Zayn’s grin doesn’t fade, but he shrugs. “Thought about it. Have younger sisters and everything, and I’m not scared of ‘em like most people, I suppose. Just, didn’t think I’d get to have them with _you_ ; not like this, at least.”

Liam thinks this is the closest to relaxed as he’s felt all night, Zayn close and willing to stay, and his previous statement just, well, it makes him smile, like, like maybe things _will_ work out between them. Up and downs and the like, but it’s refreshing. “I lied though.”

During the silence, Zayn had found his hand cupped around Liam’s tummy, nothing to show there, not yet, but it’s the thought of it changing soon that’s got him a little mesmerized. Until Liam goes off and says such a thing, having Zayn look at him with a bit of horror.

“Oh no,” Liam corrects. “No, not _that_. God, no, not that, Zayn.” He laughs, a little heavy and happy. “What I said back at the bar, you know, about us. Breaking up.”

Awareness washes over Zayn quickly. He’s grown a little rigid with those words, recalling that particular moment and the fact that while Zayn’s happy, maybe they should’ve talked it over before he decided to slot himself against Liam in the middle of their living room, looking like two happy parents that had no other pressing issues at hand.

But they do, and it’s probably the first time Liam’s actually seen Zayn agonized by something other than defending Liam from assholes (which, he’s fortunate that it’s not a common occurrence, although that might have something to do with the fact that when Zayn’s not having it; he’s _really_ not having it. Facial expression and all are enough to kill).

“Right. Sorry,” Zayn says. It’s the first time he’s purposefully drawn away from Liam like this during the time they’ve been together, and Liam’s not okay with that.

“I didn’t mean it.” Despite the shift, Liam lets Zayn go. He doesn’t go far, but he’s not near him like he was. It’s really not difficult to say he’s disappointed. “That’s not even what I had planned to say then, but like, I _thought_ that maybe it was bound to happen, and I guess I figured I could get it over with, out of the way, you know.”

“Is that what you want though?” Zayn proceeds, teeth finding his lip in such a way that Liam knows all too well, that he’s nervous but won’t show it otherwise. “Because Liam, if that’s what you want m’not gonna make you stay.”

Liam frowns as soon as the words leave the Alpha’s mouth because this is definitely not what he pictured happening. Those lines belong to Liam, and him alone. There’s no reason for Zayn to be giving _him_ the option to leave like he is. It’s absurd, but Liam knew, should’ve recognized Zayn’s humility. He’s always had it, but often times it’d never shown face until Liam was directly involved.

“I really have no idea what I did to have you in my life.”

And there Zayn is, renewed with confidence in the form of a smile and silent laughter, Liam knowing for sure he’s being made fun of. “Corny, Liam,” he admits. “Did you get that from a movie?”

Liam scrunches up his nose. “There’s nothing wrong with being honest. I know that now.”

To which Zayn agrees by filling up the space beside Liam again, cupping his face with his large hands and kissing him something fierce. “I love you.”

Liam, for all intents and purposes, nuzzles into Zayn’s warmth, finds his face buried into the fabric of Zayn’s shirt and the crook of his neck. His nose might be a little cold, but that doesn’t bother Zayn, all too happy to be where he is.

“I know.”

“Hmm, you do?”

Liam nods against Zayn, sure he can feel him move. “Heard you talking to Ruth,” he admits.

There’s a sudden pinch to Liam’s side that has him yelping, curling up further into Zayn although with the intent of protecting his side because wiggling around seems to help no one, really. “You heard all of it, then?”

“No,” Liam lies; there’re some things meant to be kept secret, not that Zayn would have an issue with him overhearing a conversation; what’s done is done, no way to take it back. But principle, Liam thinks, might be at stake with that one. “Just that. Like, what you said. It was sweet.”

“Okay,” Zayn hums, as if he doesn’t believe him. He probably doesn’t, but the benefit of the doubt and all that comes into play, Liam’s sure “And I meant it though. Everything.”

“Well then, I’m glad.”

“S’that all you got to say now?” Liam can practically hear the pout in Zayn’s voice, so he decides to take it easy on him, as if this night hasn’t already been heavy enough.

“Fine,” he sighs, fingers playing with the collar on Zayn’s shirt, skin brushing up against Zayn’s. “I kind of love you too, you know. Happy?”

There’s a pair of lips against Liam’s temple, soft but warm, and there’s no doubt that Liam can feel the affection that radiates from Zayn’s body. “Very.”

From there Liam enjoys the silence, more than thrilled that it’s not ominous, or filled with tension in the form of thinking that everything might fall to pieces. There’s still a heavy conversation ahead of them, not just about their future, but Liam - as much as he’s kept his past a secret, one he’d happily keep to himself if he could - knows that he’s gotta open up, has to admit and show Zayn the patches on his skin that hadn’t exactly healed over after years of name-calling and verbal abuse.

So he leaves it at that, the mood settled between them. He’ll give them this moment, this piece of joy before it turns serious again because that’s all it seems like in Liam’s world.

They don’t stay in the living room for very long. Zayn offers to fix something quick to eat for the both of them, wanting to spend the rest of his night next to Liam. And it’s not weird how they fall back into place so easily, how nothing’s changed, not with the way they climb into bed with a movie on the tv, with Zayn pressed protectively around Liam because sometimes he just likes to be held.

And if at some point during the movie, when Zayn falls asleep with his arm wrapped around Liam’s middle, hand splayed over his stomach, warm and solid, well, then all Liam can say is that he wouldn’t change a goddamn thing.

 

-

 

Sometimes it’s nice waking up without an alarm, natural and the like. Liam’s pretty sure he’s never felt more rested, and it’s also a pleasant surprise to find Zayn already awake, the brush of his fingertips against Liam’s stomach. The plain white shirt he’d had on is bunched up towards his chest while Zayn himself uses his arm to pillow his head, laying on his side. There’s a gentleness to his actions, Zayn having always taken great care of Liam before, but this is different somehow. Sweet, maybe.

“Had I known this would be your reaction, I would’ve told you sooner,” Liam says, although his voice falters with how sleep ridden it is.

Zayn's startled but smiles up at Liam nonetheless. "Can't believe this is happening."

Liam wants to laugh but refrains from doing so. Instead, he settles for running his fingers through Zayn’s hair, soft and unstyled, which only manages to tone down his sharp features, where it highlights his hazel eyes into a bambi-like innocence. They sparkle though, as soon as he looks up at Liam, his body resting further down on the bed so it had been easier to study Liam’s tummy (as if there was something more there to actually see; although with Liam's current position, it does conveniently give them both the opportunity to observe the natural curve that hadn't been there just a few weeks beforehand. Still though, it’s nothing quite exciting, Liam thinks).

“I’m gonna get much bigger,” he says at the thought of becoming rounder. He’s meant to say more, but there’s a slap to his thigh.

“Don’t.”

“Just an observation.”

“Until it’s not anymore, Liam.” Zayn finally shifts, turns over until he’s able to lift himself up so he can crawl towards his Omega. “You’re the same person, weight or not, and most of it’s for _health_ reasons, yeah? It’s healthy, and I’m gonna love you no matter what you think.”

“And who’s being sappy now?” Liam smiles, tries to ignore the feeling of emotions that’ve suddenly been brought to the forefront of his thoughts. He’s usually the one to get personal before Zayn, but maybe this is everything Liam needs to hear right now, that like, they’re _both_ in this together. Him and Zayn, and the people closest to them in their life.

“Hey,” the Alpha calls. “I didn’t say that for you to get all sad on me now.”

Liam refocuses, realizing he’d zoned out for just a moment, honestly too readable for his liking. “Sorry, I, uh. I know it’s early, but like-”

“Ask me anything, babe.” Zayn lays down directly beside Liam, takes his hand and squeezes it tightly for support. It brings a gentleness to Liam to know that Zayn _gets_ him, without fail. They’re close, with boundaries and time apart, but understanding nonetheless.

“Would rather not bring the conversation down, but is… um, are there going to be people you want to tell?” So he doesn’t specifically say _family_ , but that’s exactly what Liam implying. So what. Zayn’ll get the hint, and he’ll answer honestly, and Liam will sit here and be happy about it while he tries to admit that, “Because I can’t tell my parents, at least. Like, Ruth, she knows, obviously. But them, I can’t, and-” To which Liam sighs because he’s done it again, opened his mouth and let his thoughts out without having the opportune moment present. “And you aren’t a secret either!” Liam insists, because that little idea has suddenly gone to his head. “I’d tell them, honestly, and I’ve been happy, Zayn. Like, you make me _happy_ ,” he smiles, all dopey and crinkly-eyed, especially when he turns to Zayn, really looks at him only to find that he’s already staring back with his own intent, intense expression.

“Love,” Zayn begins, somehow feeling the torment that eats at Liam’s heart, “it’s been difficult for you; I’m not blind. And mostly you keep it to yourself, but I’m _right here_. I promise.”

And Liam knows; he does. But it’s hard for the anxious mind to get over years of rejection. He’s learning though. That’s got to count for something. “I wish I was an Alpha,” Liam admits next. It’s the easiest way to say what he needs to, not wanting the pity but needing Zayn to realize that in his situation, he’s only got himself, and Zayn, and now Ruth, his sister. This isn’t something that will right itself, and it’s not anything that will get better if he tries to fix it with the rest of his family because he has tried. Ruth has too. And there’d come a time when Liam realized that things would always be just the way they were. “I wouldn’t’ve been such a disappointment if I was.”

“That’s not-”

“It’s not true; yeah,” Liam interrupts Zayn, a minor scold within his tone for trying to tell Liam otherwise. He knows, kind of. Liam’s made it this far so he’s not too bad of a person, but it’s the lingering thoughts that count the most in this conversation, the past and whatnot. “Like, it’s pretty much every father’s dream to have a son, and my dad, he did. There was me, and it was fine until the time came when we all found out that I wasn’t the breed he wanted, and from there on out everything was different.”

Liam takes a deep breathe, using that as a way to keep the tears in his eyes at bay. He’s turned his gaze towards the ceiling now, can’t find it in himself to look at Zayn as he recalls particular moments of his past he’d rather not relive. “It’s cliche, isn’t it?” he asks. “The child not living up to the parent’s expectations, and so for the rest of their life they only recognize disappointment. We don’t talk, and the few times we have since I moved out have been nothing less than strained. Mother takes his side - not that she thinks he’s right, but because she _loves_ him, same with Nicola, but Ruth,” Liam licks his lips, finds that his right hand is resting over his stomach, “she’d always stick up for me. She didn’t have to ask me how I was doing because she knew how I took it, and she knew about the kids in school too.”

Zayn’s thumb brushes against the back of Liam’s hand from where they’re still intertwined. It’s one thing to hold together the pieces that make someone who they are, and it’s entirely something else when that information is shared. So when Liam finally relents, and he pays attention to Zayn just to see what’s going on, he looks conflicted, concerned. More than Liam expected. “How bad did it get, Liam?”

He doesn’t specify family or school, so Liam assumes he’s asking about both. “Um, Ruth helped me sign up for boxing lessons so kids wouldn’t beat me up. They did do that, I mean. They stopped once they found that out though.”

“And?”

Liam does more than shrug, he slips out of Zayn’s grip, sitting up to run a hand over his face. “Whether my parents knew about me and the bullying, I dunno. They never mentioned it.”

“But that’s not all of it, is it?”

Which is the million dollar question, isn’t it? It’s one thing to experience pure strangers hating and being cruel - it’s a distant sort of feeling; it hurts, but growing up in a home where his parent’s worked a lot, where Liam was left to figure out exactly _what_ he was…, “Well,” trying his very best to be nonchalant, “I wasn’t an Alpha, didn’t have a knot, so the only plausible explanation I got was ‘ _you’re a boy with a cunt; now what are people going to think?_ ’ Because obviously that’s supposed to be everyone’s first concern.”

Liam clicks his tongue, which makes it seem like this is a light and easy conversation, but mostly he’s just trying to alleviate the heaviness of it because he knows that if he doesn’t, it’ll be hell on him. More so than it already is.

“And then last night, it got me thinking,” he turns back to Zayn, where he’s still resting against the pillow but his hand has now found the lower part of Liam’s back, a weight against his body, solid and meant to comfort, “this entire fucking thing has got me thinking, really. Genetics, Zayn. What if this kid is like me? If it’s a girl, and she’s an Alpha or Omega, she’ll be treated wonderfully by everyone, but what if it’s a boy?” Those thick eyebrows raise up as he speaks, genuinely concerned for the well being of a baby that’s not even here yet because somewhere along the way Liam’s begun to realize that this is what’s going on with him right now. This is his life, and soon enough, he’ll have to make room for another. “An Alpha, and he’ll be like you,” Liam smiles. “But me?” And maybe, god, maybe it’s hormones (which is an odd thought to think), but Liam’s face falls, shoulders caving in on themselves as that crying burn bubbles its way to the surface.

“Liam,” Zayn says, more like a warning, like he doesn’t want him to _go there_. And he knows; god does Zayn know with the way his eyebrows furrow, the movement of his throat as he swallows down the empathy and guilt. He sits up too, finds that it’s hard to sit still when his partner is nearly in tears full of hurt. He curls an arm around Liam’s shoulders quickly, pulls his willing body to his chest until Liam’s so close he can feel Zayn’s heart beating through his chest. “No one should’ve ever been ashamed of you, and I don’t love you in spite of you being an Omega, you realize that, right, Liam? It’s who you are; take it or leave it.”

“Why do I find it so hard to believe you?”

Well, it’s not difficult to believe Zayn, per say. More so the general idea he’s presenting.

“Do you remember the fish?”

Liam groans, buries his face into the crook of Zayn’s neck. “Yeah, and you like, laughed at me for it too. It was supposed to be helpful.”

“It was,” Zayn agrees. “And you chose to believe it, didn’t you? You listened to your mother, and while you chose to leave so you wouldn’t be a burden,” to which Zayn looks down at Liam where a blush is spread across his cheeks from the accuracy, “which you weren’t, I’m sure; you also chose to do something for yourself, to live your life, to be _you_. You picked your job, and your friends who like you lots - Harry’s very fond of you, absolutely. And you opted to take care of yourself, _chose_ me for a mate, which I don’t think I’ll ever understand, by the way-”

“What’s your point, Zayn?” Liam asks with a whine. It’d be unfair to let Zayn finish his statement, like he’s the one lucky to have met Liam. It’s, well, Liam can’t say it’s not true because Zayn’s feelings are his own, but the thought of Zayn remotely believing that— crazy.

Zayn doesn’t strictly push him down onto the bed as much as he gradually shifts the both of them horizontally after he asks his question. Liam’s hair’s a mess on the pillow, curly and unkempt from having just woken up not too long ago. With Zayn resting above him though, it allows him to pin Liam there, arms on either side of his shoulders, leg placed in-between his thighs. “I think you wanted better for yourself, so you went and found it. I also doubt you realized it, but you did it, and you have it, and it’s okay to be scared.”

Liam gives the Alpha a grateful smile, all of what he said sinking in slowly, but surely. He’ll have to warm up to what Zayn’s telling him, but he’s never been less than smart. He knows what he’s talking about. “So, you’re admitting you’re kinda scared too, then?”

Zayn huffs a laugh. “Missed the point completely, Liam.” But he nods anyway to show that, hey, yeah, he is. More than he’ll ever let on. “Thing is, babe, you’re right to worry, and I can sit here and tell you all day not to do it, but I know you won’t listen.”

“It’s not like I can help it.” Liam frowns, probably closer to a pout than anything, really.

“Haven’t finished,” he says, leaning down to kiss the tip of Liam’s nose. “I can’t soothe your worries for good, but what I can do is tell you that tormenting yourself over the future is proof enough that you’re not gonna let anything bad happen, no matter what it is. With you; your family; the baby, and _if_ ,” Zayn emphasizes, “it does. _If_ something happens, you’ll be right there to pick up the pieces. That’s what you do, Liam. You, like, you make people feel good, don’t you? You know how to care for people, and there’s not a doubt in my mind that it’s going to be perfectly _okay_.”

And Liam’s eyes widen a fraction of an inch because _oh_. Maybe that’s what this is about then, what he’d missed within his anxiety. That maybe it’s normal? To be scared, to fret over the _what ifs_. “Always fucking right,” he quickly says, but Zayn just grins and leans down to attack Liam’s neck in a slew of kisses.

“Feel better then?”

“Yeah,” Liam breathes. “I do.” Which, in all honesty, is the truth. He’s given a part of himself to Zayn, and he’d taken it with care. Cautious but aiming to relieve Liam of his troubles as much as he could, that it’s okay to have a past that still continues to haunt him now. Liam’s not alone, and it’s about time he got that through his thick head.

Liam’s the first one to lean in for a kiss, all soft, and sweet, and sincere, like he hopes Zayn knows that he’s okay; he feels good. There’s not a heavy weight on his chest any longer.

And then, as it turns out, he pulls away quickly, Zayn nearly growling at the loss of contact until Liam shushes him. “Fuck.”

“What’s the matter?” Zayn asks, searching Liam’s face for some kind of clue.

“We still need names,” Liam suddenly mumbles. “Like, that’s gonna be a big deal, isn’t it?”

That has Zayn freezing too though, biting at his lip and looking just as lost. “Shit, maybe,” he whispers. “Yeah, that’s definitely a thing we’re going to have to figure out. When mum finds out, she’s gonna have a list ready.” He ends his statement with a groan, flops over onto the bed so that he’s laying beside Liam once again, close but enough to give them a bit of breathing room.

“Your mum?” Liam hums.

“Yeah,” Zayn drawls. “That’s going to be interesting.”

“Right, because this was the whole point of my conversation to begin with. What’re they gonna think of me, Zayn?” His teeth are right back at his lips, chewing on them at the original idea of his earlier question he’d intended to ask.

Zayn ends up finding his hand again, curls their fingers together and winces. The tension Liam had just gotten rid of has probably returned, and Zayn feels a stab of regret for even mentioning it. “They’ll love you. They know about you, and from what I’ve told them in the past, they’re excited. Have been from the get-go.”

It’s not exactly a sigh of relief that comes from Liam, but it’s close enough. “I think this is the point where you tell me it’ll be okay, and we’ll save this conversation for later because we’ve exhausted ourselves with Liam’s shitty past.”

Zayn clicks his tongue, not approving of Liam’s phrasing. “We’ll save this conversation for later because you’re exhausted emotionally; rightfully so, and something I do not regret,” and then he’s leaning in, propped up on an elbow, a brow arched with a glint in the eye, “ _and_ I can think of a few things we can do to change the subject, then.”

“Oh yeah?” Liam questions, liking the way the challenge rolls off his tongue. They can always come back to this later, and Zayn’s right too. It’s early in the morning; they’ve got all day together - all week if they want since everyone’ll think Liam’s out for his heat (that still manages to make him blush sometimes because people _know_ he’s getting fucked, and while that’s all fine and dandy, it makes his sex life a little more public than it ought to be).

The Alpha tilts his head, leaning forward as much as he can without falling over before replying with, “I don’t think you realize what it’s like having you in my bed.”

Liam’s own brows nearly shoot up to his hairline. “Well, for starters, it’s _my_ bed you’re in, but,” he mentions matter-of-factly, “is that so?” He snorts, and then he’s quick, pushing Zayn with the strength of his arm so he can climb on top of him. “I think I have an idea,” Liam says, already feeling the swell of Zayn’s cock against his ass, both clothed in cheap sweatpants and t-shirts, not much else. Removing their clothing will be so easy.

“Do you?”

It’s Liam’s turn to smirk, grinding down just enough to have Zayn hiss at the contact. His hands are already placed on Liam to keep him steady, and he’s so tempted to snap his hips up, rub up against Liam so he knows just how hard he makes Zayn.

Liam, however, leans forward, previous unease nowhere to be found. He licks his lips, tries to look mildly seductive despite the fact that it’s been awhile since they’ve been like this, but Liam honestly can’t see a better way to celebrate. “Yeah, because you,” he starts, fingers brushing against Zayn’s neck until he trails them upwards, thumb eventually finding his mouth, where Liam rubs, lets Zayn’s tongue dart out and taste the saltiness, “knocked me up.”

Immediately Zayn’s eyes darken, hands already sliding up under Liam’s shirt. “I did, didn’t I?” It’s tacked onto a very particular kind of tone, one that reads pride rather than the question itself.

Liam rolls his eyes at the Alpha’s smugness, although he can’t help but find it rather endearing. Maybe it’s more to do with the fact that Liam quite enjoys it when Zayn’s assertive in bed, when he actually gives Liam everything he didn’t know he needed.

“You did,” Liam hums, rolling his hips over what he knows is Zayn’s cock, completely hard by now, sticky, and wet with pre-cum. “But I think I’m going to need a reminder.”

And Zayn’s happy to oblige.

 

-

 

So, ultimately, it took nearly three months (technically, minus the time he’d spent being sick _without_ knowing why) for Liam to work up the courage to tell Zayn that he was pregnant. Along with that there’d been several discussions about the changes in their lives, mostly sticking with easier topics like waiting to find out the sex of the baby until the birth, all the way down to the color of the guest bedroom since that would be the nursery. Neutral colors, or patterns? Go ahead and buy baby clothing, or wait that out? Stocking up on diapers and bottles, and Liam losing his mind when things get overwhelming.

But all of that doesn’t compare to the news that Zayn has right now.

That’d he’d sprung on Liam, that they both knew was inevitable at some point. And now that it’s here, at six months pregnant, Liam’s about ready to cry.

“I don’t think any mother dreams of their child coming home for a visit with a knocked up partner, Zayn. Especially one they’ve never met before. Do you know how bad that looks?”

It’s very fair to say that Zayn looks like a reprimanded child, but it’s something they kind of _have_ to do. It’d be worse if they showed up after the birth with the baby in tow.

“They know about you, babe, and from what I’ve told them, they like you well enough. Besides,” he says, bringing Liam a glass of water. He rounds the bar and slides the cup closer to Liam while he takes a seat for himself. They’re only here right now, during the day, because Harry had called about the books, something to do with a shortage on some kind of beer Zayn’s positive he’s never served before. “we’ve put it off long enough, I think.”

Harry’s actually in the room too, just on the other end of the place, sweeping, but Liam knows for certain he’s being nosy and listening. Not that he cares too much; he’d been in a bit of a hellish mood when he arrived for no particular reason and snapped at the Beta when he’d tried to touch his stomach. Liam _had_ apologized straight afterwards though (well, after Zayn had given him a look, and Harry look wounded enough to cry).

“Well enough. _Well enough_ , Zayn.” There’s a little thought in the back of his mind, the rational part of himself, that thinks even he is being slightly over dramatic about this, but this matter, to Liam, is serious, and if he’s going to meet the parents, he wants to do it the _right_ way. Not show up on their doorstep with a loud _surprise, you’re grandparents!!!_ like some estranged child with no understanding of the concept of principle and respect.

It also possibly didn’t help that Liam had woken up this morning, actually looked in the mirror and found that physically, he was different. And he hasn’t been kidding himself this entire time. There’re a lot of changes going on with his body, but it’s the first time he’s actually _looked_. I’s not very nice to finally notice that fact that his already chubby cheeks are chubbier and that his tummy is very noticeable now, round enough for people to realize he is, in fact, pregnant.

What’s worse is that lately, when Liam gets upset in any fashion, Zayn can’t take him seriously enough because he’s too busy smiling like a loon over the fact that Liam is just too adorable. He’s so incredibly fond of his mate, and he truly doesn’t mean to put off his feelings, but apparently being pregnant means Liam’s left with an enamored Zayn.

Like now, it’s really hard to want to tell Liam off for anything, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to sit here and watch Liam cross his arms as if he’s defensive. He is, definitely, but that bottom lip pokes out a little more than necessary, and so Zayn plays the only card he’s got.

“Would you stop pouting?” Zayn asks, reaching forward to rub his thumb against Liam’s bottom lip. “It’s not ideal for either of us, but we’re not exactly conventional, are we now?” He drops his hand, and immediately notices Liam’s shoulders go slack, losing their tension. “We could’ve done this sooner, and I know you’re like this because you’re scared,” and with that he tilts his head as if waiting for Liam to protest; which actually, that doesn’t happen, so Zayn goes on, “but the right time never really came up, and I was mostly waiting for us to get comfortable.”

“And this is the right time,” Liam interjects, allowing himself to finally touch the glass of water, running his fingers over the condensation. “Yeah, okay. I’d rather not have them resent me though.” It’s not said out of anger, which is a start. It comes from genuine concern because it’d been one thing to impress his Alpha, but it’s something entirely different when it comes to relatives and finding their acceptance. It wouldn’t matter so much if Liam didn’t care about Zayn, but he does, and he can feel the weight of how critical it is not to screw this up.

Zayn taps his fingers against the wood of the bar, reaching out to rub circles into Liam’s back for comfort. “This is all very new to us, and I didn’t want my parent’s intruding until we were ready, but they’re going to love you, Liam. I know they are. I’d be a fool to bring someone home who they didn’t approve of.”

Liam looks observant, trying to find the lie on Zayn’s tongue. However, it’s not there. It won’t ever be there.

So Zayn snorts when they stare too long, decides to lighten their atmosphere by adding, “If they’re going to end up disliking anyone, it’d be me.”

“They’re not like… they wouldn’t-”

“If you’re going to ask what I think you’re going to, mum might mention it, but ultimately, no.” Zayn shakes his head, looks serious so that Liam knows he’s being straight with his answer.

“Like, it wouldn’t bother me, you know, if they suggested you to do right by me,” Liam continues, voicing his own opinion. “Just didn’t know if they’d pressure you, or-”

“Liam, when you meet them - and I won’t force you either, babe; I told them you’d be coming, but like, if you don’t think you’re up for it, I’m not gonna force you - but you’ll see, and any question you have,” he stands up off the chair, about ready to head back around the bar so he can finish up what needs to be done so they’re not stuck here for hours on end, “they’ll all be answered. Mum’s so excited that I’m coming home, and she’s planning on cooking some pretty good food, if I do say so myself. And baba, well, he’s-”

And Liam doesn’t mean to give himself up when Zayn says that. He’d been on the verge of a smile that instantly dropped the moment Zayn mentioned his father.

Because it’s one thing to meet a mother, one full of love and excitement. Liam had been privy to that for most of his life. It hadn’t stopped her from siding with her husband most of the time, but Liam had seen unconditional love, and felt it when he’d cried into his mother’s shoulder when he confessed to not understanding the resentment that lingered towards him, or why things seemed so much easier for his sisters.

He’d declared he was broken, but she was quick to dry his tears and scold him for such nonsense, that he was healthy and had so much room to live his life.

And that’s exactly what he’d decided to do, but the scars remain, and they’re blistering as they speak, as Zayn finally realizes that the topic of conversation had ceased to make Liam feel better.

“My sisters will be there, hopefully,” Zayn quickly concedes. “And _I’ll_ be there, and if my father’s anything like I am, he’s going to be there for us too.”

Which, to Liam, that’s highly impossible given that even if he’ll be staying at the Malik household for the duration of a weekend, there’s not much he could do in that time frame to earn that kind of recognition from any of Zayn’s family members. It makes his heart beat fast though, hopes that Zayn knows he doesn’t mean to be anxious about this, but if there’s one person Liam’s going to try his best to win over, it’s going to be Zayn’s father, the Alpha that he is. He’d had to earn back every bit of his own father’s love, however small and brief it’d flicker across his eyes.

Liam can’t be responsible for Zayn’s father to ever look at his own son that way; he won’t allow it. That kind of pain is something he prays Zayn never experiences.

“I’ll go,” he decides. “It’ll be okay.”

Whether he says that for Zayn’s sake or his own, Liam’s not quite sure, but it is something he tells himself in the days leading up to their trip to Bradford.

 

-

 

The house looks like it’s going to eat him alive.

He’s not exaggerating either.

Okay, maybe a little. Kind of.

It towers over them, really, or maybe it’s just that Liam’s perceptions are extremely off because he’s too busy trying not to hyperventilate. They’re here, in Bradford, and all they have to do is a take a couple of steps towards the front door where all hell may just break loose.

In all fairness, the place looks extremely cosy, set up in a quaint neighborhood with similar houses. It’s normal, to be expected, honestly, but Liam doesn’t know what he’s going to get on the other side of the fence. It looks beautiful from where he’s at, but behind closed doors, it’s a different story.

And with that, he’s talked himself out of climbing out of the car, still in the front seat where Zayn’s opened the door, knees bent so that he can see Liam and try his best to urge him out like a scared animal. “Babe, it’s warm inside, and I’m sure as soon as we get in, they’ll feed you. Like, I don’t think you understand, Liam. It’s my mum’s cooking, yeah? We don’t even cook at home often - which we should - and we won’t even get in trouble for eating too much because there will be plenty, and we’re the guests.”

And Liam knows he’s just trying to make it better. He _is_ hungry though; a little bit of a snack wouldn’t hurt him, and it _is_ cold; that’s true. Liam thanking the fact that he’d grabbed his big jacket, the one that looked a little too big for him to wear, that certainly covered up his stomach.

“Oh god, Zayn.” Liam frowns, tugs on the Alpha’s coat in order to get him to bend down further. “That’s fabulous and all, really, but could you like, hold my hand and defend my honor when we get to the door? Because that might be necessary, okay. I-”

Zayn rolls his eyes, but leans down to quickly kiss Liam, effectively shutting him up. “I’ll do all that and more. Now c’mon. I just saw the blinds move; we’ve got a youngin’ trying to be sneaky.”

“Or,” Liam counters, “they’re a little spy for your parents, and while we should scold them for being nosy - and as soon as they look at you with their innocent face - you’re gonna cave, Zayn, because you can’t resist puppy dog eyes.”

To which Zayn looks kind of offended by that, wants to ask why he thinks he’ll be hit with the tales of _I was only looking, Zayn, promise_ and a faultless face.

But Liam decides to pull the very look he’d spoke of, and Zayn huffs out a laughter. “That’s because you use it to your advantage and don’t even give me a chance to be firm with you. You play dirty.” He offers out a hand for Liam to take, helping him out of the car, positive that Liam can do it himself but liking the fact that Liam wants him to play gentleman.

“Now that, my dear, is definitely something I’ll own up to.”

Liam smirks, and Zayn swats at his arm before closing the car door. They can always come back for their bags later. Right now, Zayn very much wants to get inside, get through the introductions and settle in so that Liam’s no longer anxious (which is the truth, yes, but Liam can definitely tell that Zayn’s worrying a bit as well. The fact that he’s trying to hide it, well, Liam doesn’t know whether that’s good of him, or if he should just flat out admit to it so Liam’s not alone in this).

They make it to the door, Liam purposefully choosing to stand behind Zayn while they’re greeted by a girl about a head shorter than Zayn, who looks just like him but with a big smile and her hair in a bun.

“Zayn!” she shrieks before she launches herself into his arms.

Zayn’s just barely able to let go of Liam’s hand in order to catch her. “ _Waliyha._ ”

There’s a bit of laughter thrown in, her lighter giggles mixing in with Zayn’s. She’s so excited that Liam can’t help but look at the two with such fondness.

Eventually Zayn draws her back, gives a kiss to her forehead before directing her back into the house. “Alright, you can cling to me once we’re inside. It’s cold.”

And they head in, Liam right behind Zayn as they step in through the threshold of the door. He’s met with a heavy scent of candles and warmness. He makes sure to shut the door and toe off his shoes, just following Zayn’s lead until he’s left standing there a little clueless as to what to do next. Zayn’s already got his coat off at this point, and when Liam goes to do the same, he stops himself and calls for Zayn softly.

“Do I-” he gestures to the coat, as if that might get across his thoughts, but Zayn not only looks confused, he’s urging his sister to go let his parent’s know they're here.

Once the girl is gone, Liam not minding that she hadn’t spared him a second glance - after all, he’s not quite sure how long it’s been since she’s seen Zayn, and it’s only fair that Liam allow them to spend a moment or two together - Zayn finally gives him his attention.

“We’re going to have to do something. I can’t wear this the entire time, and they’ll _know_ as soon as they see me, Zayn-”

Footsteps echo from down the hall until the two of them are joined by a shorter woman, no taller than Waliyha, really. But she’s full of smiles, looks exactly like Zayn too, especially with the way her eyes sparkle. She ends up drawing Zayn into a hug with no regard as to whether she was interrupting a conversation.

“Sunshine.”

And Liam watches Zayn melt into his mother’s arms, buries his face into her shoulder and holds on tight. Something deep aches within Liam’s heart. He’s standing here in a coat too big, watching as Zayn pulls back and greets his mother like they haven’t seen each other in years, before they’re joined by Waliyha and one more person.

The only indication that there is one other person in the room, though, has to do with the fact that while Waliyha has taken a seat on the stairs, listening to her mother and her brother exchange greetings, Liam feels the presence of someone close to him.

He’s not startled, at first, but it creeps up on him as each second ticks by until that overwhelming notion that there’s another Alpha in the room hits Liam like a freight train.

See, it’s not like Omega’s have an urge to submit or anything of that nature, but it’s something close to backing down and showing that there is no intention of starting a fight of any kind. Omegas are docile, only really angry when extremely provoked. So the chill that runs down Liam’s spin is quite a normal feeling, something he’s had to deal with his entire life. He thinks this just feels slightly off and different because of who it is. And of course Liam knows who it is.

Liam doesn’t cower and back away like every bone in his body is telling him to do. Instead, he stands there, rigid and fighting with his thoughts to relax because being this on guard is not good for him or the baby. But he can’t help it, and so he hunches in on himself, silently dropping his shoulders, ducking his head and looking at his sock-clad toes as if they’re the most interesting thing in the world.

Still, the attention is not on him as another minute passes. Normally Zayn’s the first to notice his discomfort, but he’s paying attention to his father, goes in for a hug and a smile while Liam tries not to cave in on himself.

“And who is this?”

He hears the words, of course he does, and then it’s like he there’re a million different sets of eyes on his body because he can feel them, even blushes when the attention doesn’t go away quickly like he hoped it would. He can’t see because he’s still staring at his feet, but he knows, and he feels incredibly uncomfortable.

Apparently they’re all expecting him to say something, and when he doesn’t, Zayn takes charge, saddling up next to Liam, sliding an arm around his waist. Zayn must notice Liam’s discomfort by now because he draws Liam in, makes sure his hand is firmly on Liam’s hip and that he’s facing Zayn just enough to stare at him.

And Liam looks; he sees Zayn and his hazel eyes and his stupid grin, and within that, there’s worry, and love, and a great big amount of affection that Liam breathes, let’s himself relax slowly until he’s able to turn himself to face the family. He still does not have the courage to bring his eyes up to meet them, however.

"Liam," he says. "My name's Liam."

"Well, it's good to have you over. Zayn's told us a lot about you." It's Zayn's mother that speaks, with kindness and sincerity.

"Good things, I hope?" Liam nervously shifts his gaze up to find brown eyes staring back at him. Zayn's mother is lovely, different than Liam expected for sure.

She laughs though and takes a step forwards, probably unsure whether or not she's allowed near Liam, if he’ll allow her close. He lets her though, shuffling away from Zayn before she's got him in a hug. "I've never seen him talk about anyone the way he talks about you," she whispers in his ear.

Liam pulls away from their hug a little too early, but neither of them are surprised. It feels like a bit of a joke for her to tell him that, like it’s not difficult to imagine that Zayn isn’t _that_ fond of Liam. But he knows otherwise, especially when he turns back to Zayn and smirks, like he’s already got a secret on him. Baby pictures might be next; that’s something Liam’s looking forward to, most definitely.

“Now, how about we get you both settled, and I can fix you up a little something until dinner’s ready?

She looks about ready to move on with her plans until Zayn interjects with, “Actually, mum, there’s something Liam and I need to discuss with you and baba.”

Liam returns his gaze to Zayn, already finding that he’s looking at Liam. It’s now or never, really, and if Liam wants out of this coat - it’s starting to get a little too warm - they’re gonna have to do this now and risk being shown the door.

“Zayn, it can’t wait?” his father asks. “You only just got here.”

And Zayn smiles at him, like a little kid wishing he could listen to the simple request. “I’m afraid not.”

His tone must give something away because the older man nods. “Alright,” he agrees. “Waliyha, why don’t you go into the kitchen and check the food?”

She’s still on the stairs, but as soon as she’s given instructions she rolls her eyes and groans. “I’m old enough to hear this, I’m sure. You just want me out of here.”

“That obvious?” her father grins.

“That obvious.”

As she stands, she sticks her tongue out at Zayn before exiting the room, Zayn urging his parents into the living area just after she’s gone. He leaves Liam where he is for a brief moment before returning. “You ready?” He takes the zipper of Liam’s jacket and pulls it down, helping Liam off with it.

Liam had tried to wear a flattering shirt, something that wouldn’t make anything noticeable, but with the way Zayn glances down and bites his lip, there’s no way he would’ve been able to walk around here without someone asking what the hell was going on with his stomach.

“Believe it or not,” Liam swallows, taking Zayn’s hand in his. “Yeah, you know, nervous, but your parents, they’re lovely, Zayn.”

There’s no time for Zayn to be a little bit proud of that fact, but he does squeeze Liam’s hand before they move across the foyer into the carpeted living room. It’s not as big as one might think, but it’s cozy, a couch and a tv, pictures up on the wall to let others know that this place belongs to someone, that they live here and memories are shared within the confines of brick and wood.

When they enter the room, Liam is careful enough to stay behind Zayn until he can't anymore. Zayn guides Liam to a single leather chair, that sits as another addition to the furniture set, like the coffee table in front of the parent's feet.

Liam sits down without hesitation though. Despite the drive, the weight of the baby is something relatively new, and there's never been a moment for Liam to figure out his new figure, gain a sense of confidence with a different balance than he’s had for years.

"You're pregnant?"

And that’s the simplest, easiest way to put it, yes.

But what comes with the question is more astonishment than indignation, and that seems to give Liam a small amount of confidence because he doesn’t wait for Zayn to cut in, trying to mend the situation and smooth it over so that everyone’s happy.

No, Liam takes this conversation into his own hands, squaring his shoulders and looks forward at his baby’s grandparents, only praying for the best. “Yes,” he admits, no waver to his voice. “I am. I-”

“Is this from a…”

Liam watches as the words die on Mr. Malik’s tongue, the implication of what he’s asking going far beyond anything Liam possibly imagined. But, he decides, it’s only fair to wonder, and Liam does not fault what he is implying. Zayn might, especially with the way the air shifts around the two of them.

“The baby’s mine,” Zayn says firmly, like his father has just offended him, that Liam would abuse Zayn’s trust in him. They’ve been together far longer than six months, and thinking that one of them was unfaithful makes Liam’s skin crawl. “But we’re coming to you now because we’ve made a decision. Liam’s gonna be apart of our lives regardless of what happens in the future.”

“Zayn,” his mother says. “How, exactly, did this happen?”

Whether it’s the right time to be snarky or not flies by Zayn’s because he answers with, “I’m pretty sure we all know how we got here.”

His mother looks none too pleased with his answer, and Zayn’s shoulders drop at her stern expression. “You know what I’m talking about.”

Liam tenses, hears the authority in her voice despite her being an Omega as well. It’s not like all of them are creatures of habit, like Liam who takes to ducking his head and shying away from people in general. She’s a mother, yes, but not once has Liam seen what he has in other households, no lingering thoughts that her husband should speak first, or that she should hold back. Her posture is perfect, slightly leaning in to her mate, and boy does Liam think they could’ve ruled a kingdom. Pretty people, really. Zayn looks just like the both of them.

“We didn’t, obviously,” Zayn replies, implying exactly what his mother is getting at. “Things were- _are_ a bit complicated.”

“Complicated enough not to use a condom? What were you thinking?”

And that’s pretty much hits the nail on the head, what this entire conversation centers on because while maybe they should’ve been smart enough to do that, it wasn’t like Liam thought he’d be placed into the category of potentially being able to get pregnant. It’s a known fact that not _all_ Omegas have that capability. Even some females aren’t born with the ability. However, there’s a point during puberty when things like that are determined, when young teenagers present and depending on the category they fall under, appropriate action is taken in regard to their health, especially when it comes to sex and reproduction.

But Liam hadn’t exactly been privy to it. He’d grown up in a household dead set on showing him that he was _different_ and not in a good way. Explaining that here, Liam doesn’t feel comfortable with that, but Zayn’s parents have to know something, and Liam’s willing to take the downfall.

“Mrs. Malik-”

“Trisha, please, and Yaser,” she gestures to her husband. “We’re not old enough for that yet.”

Liam sits forward on the edge of his seat. It gives him more control, and a little bit of distance from Zayn. Not that he wants that, but he needs the space to think and to say this without Zayn near him to question him. It’s easier when Zayn’s sat a little bit behind him on the arm chair because he knows that if he’s going to get away with what he’s going to admit, he can’t have Zayn looking at him, and he absolutely cannot have him interrupt Liam with protests and indignation.

He’ll surely try it, but Liam will hush him and move on.

“I’m fully aware of how this looks, as if maybe I’ve trapped your son into something he wouldn’t want, but for starters Zayn has been there for me since the day he found out, and I couldn’t have asked for more.” He keeps his eyes forward, needs to make sure that he’s being respectful and truthful. They need to see it, and they need to know Liam means no harm, hadn’t meant to intrude. “But you’re right, and as much as Zayn had a hand in what happened, most of the responsibility fell on me. Zayn brags about his family a lot, and it’s not that I mind because I don’t, but not all of us are fortunate enough to have a family that cares enough for your wellbeing over the matter of circumstance because positions in life sometimes aren’t dictated by our own hands.” Picking at the fabric of his shirt does nothing but add to his stress, but Liam feels that it gives his body something to do while his mind is already full speed ahead in diving off the deep end. “I’m not trying to make it an excuse, but we’re in this position because of my lack of knowledge and what my family failed to tell me, that I should’ve had a right to.”

“Liam-”

He waves Zayn off, and continuous. Trisha looks rather startled, not scared; maybe a bit dejected. And it’s easy to see she’s trying to find words, leaning into her husband by taking his hand and remaining strong, but Liam knows how pathetic he is. It’s the same look his own mother would give him sometimes, what his sisters would offer too. “I thought about leaving,” he nods, this part of his feelings spilling over without his consent, “you know, if it’d be best, or if I should’ve even kept it, and while I don’t know what the hell I’m doing - the pressing questions that matter the most, whether we’re too young, if we’re ready, if this is the _right_ decision - but I figured the possibly of trying has got to be worth a hell of a lot more than walking away from my responsibilities, from Zayn, and from the two of you.”

Liam ends it with watery, tentative smile, feels the shake in his hands all the way down to the very core of his soul. He could predict the next course of events, come up with a million different scenarios and none of them would be right.

Because the anxiety that comes with the unknown is about fear. It takes over the body and creates a list of unreliable scenarios that might play out, the irrational, all the way down to the impossible.

Looking back, Liam will always remember the sigh of relief he felt when Trisha pats the seat next to her on the couch, beckoning Liam closer. And once he joins her = a very clear view of Zayn where he finds that he looks a little dazed; he wants to give in to his emotions and gather Liam up in a hug and never let him go - Trisha reaches for Liam’s hand, giving a look to Yaser that he cannot see. It’s quick, and the only way Liam’s able to mildly figure out the silent exchange from the two, is the way that Zayn straightens his back, looks a lot more alert and interested. A quick transition of emotions that startles Liam’s for what’s about to come

“Liam,” Trisha says softly, turning his way. She moves her hair behind her ear and gives him a brilliant smile that reminds him so much of Zayn. “I could-” she stops, sucks in a breath before starting over. “ _We_ could be more pleased about this, the timing and showing up here with this big of a surprise,” she laughs lightly but doesn’t do it in a way that makes Liam feel bad; in fact, she’s looking at him with so much compassion that Liam feels his heart constrict in his chest, “and we also figured Veronica, Zayn’s sister, would’ve been the first to shock us all with news similar to this.”

The entire room is met with a very distinct sound, Zayn trying to muffle his laughter it by covering his mouth, his eyes still a little shiny. “Mum,” he scolds.

“Hush up; we all thought it,” she says, dismissing his rather nonchalant concern. “But despite all of that, I know my son; he doesn’t love easily, but when he does, you’ll know it.” And this time when she lets go of Liam’s hand, it’s not a sign of withdrawal, or meant to mean a loss of connection because Trisha, just as any mother has at some point in their life, cups Liam’s cheek, leans forward to press her lips against Liam’s forehead. “You will _always_ be welcome in this house. Do you understand?”

And instead of answering like he should, whether it was rhetorical or not, Liam surges forward to wrap Trisha up in a hug. Liam has no idea if she had been expecting it or not, but if she hadn’t, she makes no remark, just embraces Liam with as much sincerity as Liam’s able to muster in his. “Thank you,” he says amidst the difficulty at trying to get out those words. His voice shakes, but the comfort of Trisha rubbing his back settles him.

“Now,” she states as she draws away from Liam. “How about we get you settled in now? Maybe something to eat?”

She stands up and makes her way towards the threshold that leads into the kitchen. “And maybe afterwards I can dig through some old stuff, baby clothes…” Trisha trails off, looking a little distant with a flurry of thoughts and the obvious excitement there. “ _Yaser_ , we’re going to be grandparents.”

The Alpha is still on the couch, having not said a word this entire time. Trisha has mostly spoken for him, but he looks just as pleased, if not excited. “Go ahead, love. Maybe Zayn can help you too. I’d like to speak to Liam for a moment.”

The silence after that is sharp, Zayn clearing his throat with the beginnings of _baba, that’s not necessary_. But his mother hushes him, claims that she can find him something to do, that Liam will be just fine.

It doesn’t stop Zayn from looking over his shoulder and mouthing an _I’m sorry_ with Liam staring right back as if he’s been left to the sharks.

But Yaser, he continues to sit there, biding his time until he gathers Liam’s attention. “I won’t keep you long,” he says. “I won’t reiterate everything my wife has said, but I want you to know that what she said holds true for me too. The amount of fear you have is understandable, but you’re safe here. With my family, with Zayn, and if he does anything to question that, ever,” he looks pointedly at Liam, firm but with gentleness, “you let me know. Omegas of any kind are meant to be respected, and that’s including you.”

Liam opens his mouth to speak, but there’s nothing there. Yaser doesn’t seem to see that Liam wants to comment though because he stands up as soon as he’s finished. He might not be as comfortable with affection in the way that his wife is, but that’s okay. Liam doesn’t need a hug or a pat on the back to know that this Alpha understands the significance of his place in life, that he is, in fact, not above the Betas and Omegas in the world. If Liam dare say it, and just from the small exchange he’s seen today so far, he’d say that Trisha has a hold on him, one he doesn’t dare question, but loves nonetheless because they’re mates, equals.

“You should be proud of your son,” Liam admits quickly, finally able to sort through heaviness that made up his tongue, watching as Yaser turns back to face him.

He seems like he’s got to file through a list of responses before he settles on one, and just as much as Zayn takes after his mother in looks, it’s respect he learned from his father, Liam has no doubt, what it means to be a man, let alone an Alpha. “Very much so.”

“He’s a lot like you, you know. Having just met you- I thought Zayn was one of a kind with the way he treated me. Didn’t know that type of kindness existed.”

And Yaser must understand the severity of Liam’s words in terms out of how much that aspect of Zayn means to him. It’s an open admission, without details, to Liam’s life as a mistreated Omega.

“It’s a travesty to hear you say that,” the Alpha begins, where Liam grows confused at what he’s trying to get at. “There’s no excuse for the belittlement of an entire kind. Omegas are worth so much more than what most believe; they’re just too daft to see it, stuck with too much pride.”

Which is all that needs to be said, Liam nodding, still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that this is real, that he’s so incredibly lucky. Not just for Zayn’s parent’s reactions, but this entire portion of his life that began with Zayn.

Whether Liam believes in pure luck, he doesn’t know. But it’s the best way to sum up the past two years of his life.

“I’ll go get Zayn,” Yaser interrupts his thoughts. “Save him from cooking duty; he always hated that.”

Liam smiles and watches Zayn’s father leave the room. His instinct is to caress his stomach and bask in the feeling of acceptance.

Zayn had given him that privilege the first time they met, but now it’s his family that’s extending it.

 

-

 

“L- _Waliyha_ ,” Trisha shouts as she notices her daughter trying to grab something from the top shelf of the closet. She’s tall enough, big enough not to harm herself, but the box she’s trying to get is resting under a stack of things that look about ready to fall on top of her. “Let me help you.”

“Do you want me to help?” Liam asks, worried that it’s all about to come crashing down.

But amidst Trisha trying to help her daughter, she shakes her head. “No, love. That’s alright.”

Liam winces as things begin sliding off, landing on the carpeted floor because there are no arms left to catch them. Eventually Trisha’s able to hold it all back while Waliyha pulls, and just as they all think they’re in the clear, a couple of blankets find their way out. They leave the younger girl sputtering and trying her best to find her way out of the mess. “Mum, did you really need to get this?”

Trisha’s already taking the box into the living area, a smirk on her face, hands full. So Liam helps out with Waliyha, the darling that she is who’d been so excited when Zayn finally told her what the big fuss was about yesterday afternoon. Unfortunately, the other two siblings wouldn’t be home until later this evening, but Waliyha insisted on sticking around instead of going out with friends, so taken with Liam that he hadn’t minded when she’d offered to keep him company whilst Zayn and his father left. To where, Liam has no clue, but he figures he can get the answer out of Zayn later.

“Yes,” Trisha answers. “Most of these are hand-me-downs, but you wore them and looked adorable. I’d like to give Zayn and Liam something.”

“They’re old though,” she says. She gets to the box first, opening the lid and pulling out stuff that Trisha eventually takes from her. Of course they won’t mean much at all given she hadn’t been around when Zayn and Veronica wore them, and she’d have been too small to remember wearing anything herself.

“Maybe so, but they’re perfectly intact. You don’t mind Liam, do you?”

Liam, by now, has taken a seat on the chair while the girls have nestled themselves on the floor. There’s already a stack of clothes laid out, and Liam can’t seem to take his eyes off of them. “I don’t mind,” he says. “Wouldn’t really know what to shop for anyways.”

And he looks guilty at that admission. Liam cares, he does, but like, he’d been the youngest in his family, hadn’t been privy to taking care of a young one like his sisters had to do with him. Zayn’s had experience, but it’s been awhile, and lord knows if he’s kept all of that information with him.

Trisha purses her lip, rummages through the box some more before replying, “By the time you leave, the both of you will have a good idea. I’ll make sure of it, make you a list, something. And my number, I’ll make sure you have that - Zayn does - but I want you to have it, and you call me if you have questions.” She points a finger at him before handing over a little onesie. It’s got an older version of Mickey Mouse on it, a little faded and worn, may be in need of a wash, but it still looks snug. “That was Zayn’s, I think. Hard to separate most of ‘em now that it’s been years.”

Liam lays it out over his lap, situates it to where there’s minor wrinkles in it before staring at it in awe. To think that Zayn had been this small at one point in time is hard to imagine, even after having seen the slew of baby pictures that Zayn had groaned and blushed and complained about last night after dinner

“Are they really this small?” he asks, voice no louder than a whisper.

Whether Trisha continues on with her quest of sorting out the clothes and little baby blankets, sock booties, and everything else she’s kept because of sentimental value, Liam doesn’t know because he’s too busy running his fingers over the outfit.

“Mostly, yes,” she answers. “Small when they’re born, especially if they’re pre-mature, but they grow quickly. You’ll find out soon enough.” Her tone is reminiscent, probably thinking back to days of two-year-old tantrums, mischief, to who those little ones are now. Adults with thoughts and knowledge, gone from the family house with a life of their own.

“Were you…,” Liam begins, licks his lips and finds Trisha staring up at him. “Was there ever a moment you weren’t scared?”

“Any specifics?”

Liam shrugs, finding that it is rather difficult narrowing it down, so he says, “All of it, mostly. What if something goes wrong? I’m six months in, but that doesn’t mean it’s all going to be okay. Or what about afterwards? Taking them home and doing right. Like, it’s supposed to be happy, isn’t it?”

Trisha reaches forward to rest a hand on his knee. “Listen, you’re not the first to worry, and you won’t be the last either.” The crook of a smile finds its way upon her face before she pats him in comfort. “But to tell you the truth, yes. Scared me so bad. First time was a nightmare, breathed a bit easier with Zayn because he was my second, and I knew from experience. No matter what though, you’ve got to breathe and enjoy it. Keep your worry; it’s what makes you a parent, but don’t forget to smile, and pray, and look forward to what’s going to come.”

“You meant it when you said I could call you?”

Trisha laughs, and even Waliyha, who’d been silent the entire time, helping her mother put things into piles, cracks a bit of a smile. “Of course. Let’s keep it to daylight hours. I like my sleep.” She nudges him, manages to get a smile out of Liam before he’s handing back the onesie, trading it out for another to observe.

“Thank you though,” he says, not wanting to go without saying it. He meant what he asked before, but the support, that’s importance.

“You don’t have to do that,” she dismisses. “You’re entitled to it, whether you want to hear it or not. That’s what I’m here for.”

She goes back to folding and showing Waliyha how to do it as well until the younger girl pipes up with her own question. She’s polite, but Liam knows she’s curious, a sponge ready to soak up anything she’s allowed to have. “What about names? Like, that’s important, especially since I’m gonna be an aunt. Just,” she shakes her head, glances up at Liam as if she might not have a right to say anything, but he nods, wants her to voice her feelings just as everyone else has so far. “Not anything weird, yeah?”

Liam manages to forego the crease in his brown for a grin full of teeth. However, he shakes his head. “We’ve not got anything.”

Trisha looks like she knows something but won’t say it.

“C’mon, mum. Out with it.”

“Zayn’ll probably get mad at me if I told you things I like, so I won’t. Although I think you better start looking soon because the longer you put it off, the more pressure it is, the more you’ll find you won’t agree with one another, and that little babe is going to be stuck with whatever you give ‘em for the rest of their life.” And it’s possibly she’s trying to be a little dramatic with it, but Waliyha takes it to heart with her wide, brown eyes, slowly looking over at Liam and blinking.

“You heard mum, then. Better get on that.”

Liam snorts, even going so far as to throw the piece of clothing at the girl. She screeches, although it doesn’t even hit her in the face, lively as she is when she falls back onto the floor. “We’ll figure something out, right? Can’t be too difficult.” Down playing it might not be the best thing, but it’s more like avoidance than anything else. A name means another step in their journey. Liam’s not quite sure if both Zayn and he are there yet.

Trisha’s browse raise, her shrug a clear indication that he’ll find out otherwise soon enough.

And of course, the Omega later eats his words on the ride back home the following evening when he casually, briefly brings up a few names he may or may not like. It more or less ends up with two frustrated people, but at least the crib that Zayn and his father had gone out to buy ends up built within two hours, the Alpha using his frustration to get something done.

Liam’s pretty sure he can hear Trisha laughing at him from miles away. _Stubborn_ , she’d say, and possibly a little bit of an _I told you so_. All in the name of love is where her teasing would come from.

However, Liam wouldn’t want it any other way.

 

-

 

This feeling isn’t anywhere near the height of his heat. It’s like a low sizzle under his skin, itchy, and hot, and Liam thinks he might drive himself insane if he doesn’t take care of it.

Liam’s not sure whether this is something good, or bad though. In a way, he misses his heat, which is a first if you ask him, but one thing Zayn had eventually made Liam realize was that sex and his heat _didn’t_ and _shouldn’t_ be about one person or the other. Liam, for all intents and purposes, figured he was just meant to give it up, that it was something that happened for an Alpha to enjoy. And while Liam often thinks back to his first heat with Zayn, they’d come a long way since then. The second time wasn’t anything awkward; the both of them fell into one another easily enough, but over the course of the first few months, it wasn’t hard to miss the way Liam catered. Sure, it’d always been in his nature to care, but it hadn’t been long before Zayn figured that Liam wasn’t aware that he could _ask_ for things if he wanted, that them together in bed wasn’t just about knotting, or making sure that Zayn was the one satisfied.

So, it’s possibly why Liam comes to the conclusion that he’d really, _really_ like to get off right now, but there’s a bit of an issue. He can’t get comfortable enough on the couch, and the low burn of sexual frustration sits just on the tips of his fingertips. All apart of the process, he supposes. Body going through changes, both hormonal and physical, like a never ending list that won’t fully come to conclusion until several months after the baby is born.

And it’s been like this for awhile, Liam feeling terrible for Zayn having to walk on eggshells around him in moments of pure emotion. He keeps himself in check at work (most people there surprised, but welcoming to the fact that Liam will now officially join some of his co-workers into the world of parenthood), and rarely goes to the bar - something Zayn’s been adamant about.

However Harry does visit in his free time, even takes Liam out if he so pleases while Zayn’s away at work so he’s not cooped up and feeling stuffed (which that’s really all he feels like lately, clothes definitely not fitting because the obvious curve of his stomach) and achy.

And then there’s these moments because if it’s not upset little rants, or craving the most god-awful combinations of food, it’s these times where he’s struck with the utmost need to feel good, to have Zayn wrapped around him. It only makes Liam confused as to what he’s actually seeking; it’s obvious that it’s something, but whether it’s strictly sex, or just the need to have Zayn there, it’s difficult to differentiate the two. Not that he’s specifically trying to, at least; getting both in one is something he’s certainly not going complaining about.

But with his sometimes irrational, overly emotional, judgmental thoughts, it’d be good if he could sort out those with practiced ease like he had the ability to do so before. It’s weird being in his body, but not in his body. It’s really beginning to feel like a tug of war.

“Either you’re immensely enjoying whatever the hell is on tv,” Zayn says waving a hand in front of Liam’s face, having come back from the kitchen with a bowl of cereal, “or I’ve lost you to some very intense thoughts.”

“How much cereal is left in the box?”

Zayn scrunches up his nose, completely not expecting the question. He does, however, manage to get a spoonful of cereal into his mouth before he answers, with Liam shaking his head at not eating with proper etiquette. “Dunno, enough, I think. You want some? I’ll go get it.”

He makes to stand up, but Liam places a hand on his arm to stop him. The Alpha then looks at him with a question in his eyes, but Liam just takes the bowl of cereal - with Zayn _trying_ to protest about the loss of his food until Liam looks at him sharply, which effectively gets him to shut up - and places it onto the coffee table. “Good, you’ll be able to get you some more then yours gets soggy.”

“What-”

But Liam’s already trying to pull himself up off the couch, with a little bit of Zayn’s help, that is. He would’ve liked to have made a better scene than a struggle, something with a little more grace and probably sexier, but he’s trying here, and that should count for something. “C’mon.”

“But what about…” and he trails off, looks at his bowl despite Liam tugging on his arm.

“Later,” Liam says sharply. “Later, babe. Please, c’mon.”

Zayn eventually stands up, mourns his food despite it only being a bowl of cereal, before Liam’s trying to get him to move again. “What are you in such a rush for?”

And Liam nearly growls, rounds on Zayn before he leans in to kiss him roughly. It’s weird not being able to completely press himself up against Zayn, but his stomach is a bit of a barrier.

In the end, Liam adds a bit of teeth, some tongue, fists his hands into Zayn’s shirt and moans because there’s no way he can properly rub himself up against Zayn to let him know that he’s got a hard on. He wants it taken care of immediately.

“Oh,” Zayn breathes just as Liam lets go of him. He looks smug, like Zayn should’ve listened to him all along, and of course he’s right. He should’ve. They could’ve been in the bedroom like five minutes ago. “Yeah, okay. Lead the way, babe.”

As soon as they get into the bedroom, Liam’s all over Zayn again, crawling up his shirt, helping him to remove the unnecessary material. It’s a bit strange, him like this. Liam’s not one to take too much initiative in bed, and it’s not like Zayn has any issues with that - if he did, he certainly would’ve taken it up with the Omega long ago - but this is new, and Zayn’s not quite sure how to take it.

So he grips Liam’s wrist, holding him back from trying to get Zayn’s trousers off his body. “Liam,” he says. “Babe, I’m right here.”

“Zayn, sorry,” he smiles sheepishly. “I- sorry.”

He looks nervous all of a sudden, fidgeting with his hands as soon as Zayn lets go, but he brings Liam in close, pressing kisses all down his neck and across his collarbone. “What’re you wanting, love?”

Liam sighs in relief, lets himself fall apart slowly with Zayn right there doing nothing more than use his mouth to make him feel excellent. “Want you to like, suck me off, will you? That- is that okay?”

His breathing goes a little labored the more Zayn turns his kisses into sucking, especially when he travels up to Liam’s ear, nibbling at the lobe and nuzzling his nose into the underside of Liam’s jaw. “Is that what you want, hmm?”

“Yes, yeah, but only like, only if you want, Zayn. _Please_ ,” he begs.

“Fuck,” Zayn says, pressing a final kiss to his neck. “Yeah, alright.” When he pulls away to help Liam off with his clothes, the first thing to go are his trousers. Zayn tries to help Liam remove his shirt next, but he shies away from that.

It’s not an accident when it happens the second time around. Liam tries to distract the Alpha from his movements by removing the rest of Zayn’s clothing, but it’s easy to see he’s not falling for it. Zayn tries once more, but Liam looks at him with a little remorse and tells him, “You don’t have to. Just let me keep it on.”

Zayn’s brow furrows, honestly confused by what Liam’s telling him. Not once has he ever been shy, or anything but eager to get in bed, but now he’s finishing pulling off his trousers and trying his best to tug his shirt down. “It’s nothing I haven’t seen before,” Zayn tries to reassure him, figuring that may be the problem. Liam’s grown a little bigger over the past couple of weeks, and while he hasn’t specifically complained about the changes, it’s evident that he hadn’t been thinking about them so consciously until now.

“I know, but-”

“It’s whatever you want,” Zayn ends up telling him because that’s the truth. Zayn’s not settling for anything here; this entire pregnancy hasn’t exactly played too much of an emotional toll on them yet (save for Liam’s troubles with his past towards the first few months, and the meeting of family who’d accepted him with open arms). But he suspects that the closer they get to the due date, everything’s going to shift. For now, Zayn’s going to do what he can to help Liam along, despite the various moments he has to take for himself just to breath. “You gotta be comfortable.”

Liam, as if there’s some choice to be made, turns away from Zayn to gather a good number of pillows to stack up against the headboard. He’s no idea how this is gonna work, but he supposes the easiest thing to do right now is to settle himself on the bed and let Zayn do the work. As soon as he’s finished, he gathers the courage to pull off his shirt leaving him naked and small in front of Zayn. “I’m still me,” Liam says as justification for his actions. It’s more for himself than for Zayn, but the Alpha does more than just nod his head.

He agrees. “You are, just a little different, that’s all.” Which is true. Liam’s lost most of his definition in his upper body. Liam doesn’t necessarily mourn it, but it’s weird looking at himself. He’s a lot rounder in certain places besides the curve of his stomach. He can see it in his face, and his arms. And it’s not bad; he really doesn’t look that bad, and with the way that Zayn’s currently eying him, he feels a lot better, a lot less scared.

“Help me?” he asks, reaching out an arm for Zayn to hold on to while he gets up onto the mattress. He settles himself easily enough, can’t lay flat on his back at all, and the pillows feel good against his bare skin.

Zayn’s let go of him by now, but he makes no move to join Liam until he wonders aloud. “You just gonna stand there?”

“Admiring this incredible view. Beautiful,” Zayn replies, quickly joining Liam.

The Omega snorts as soon as Zayn gets in-between his thighs, lips going right back to his neck. “Yeah, I don’t think so.” Liam uses this moment to brush his fingers through Zayn’s hair, stopping at the nap of his neck. He’s grown it out a bit longer, not by much, but Liam likes it, softens his features, adds to the facial hair Zayn claims is a nightmare to keep trimmed.

“No,” Zayn says in-between his warm mouth assaulting the pink of Liam’s skin. “It’s the truth.” He goes down further, not just settling on Liam’s collar bones, but going down, down until he’s swirling a tongue around a nipple.

Liam sucks in a breath, arches back at the sensitivity before relaxing. They’ve been puffy a lot lately, a little sore, and with Zayn biting on them like he is, it only adds to the feeling. Although, Zayn’s kind enough to pay attention to Liam’s other pec too, doesn’t give Liam a break when Zayn lifts his hand and uses that to rub against the wet skin from the spit he’d left behind.

But then Zayn’s drawing back abruptly, teeth scraping against Liam’s skin with an odd expression until Liam _feels_ it. It’s liquid, that’s for certain, and Zayn’s thumb is still pressed over the bud. There are little white droplets leaking from it every time Zayn applies pressure, and there’s nothing but a sinking feeling in Liam’s chest. “Shit,” he whispers, moving to push Zayn’s hand off of him. “I should’ve kept the shirt on.”

It’s hard to say exactly what Liam looks like from his perspective, but this is certainly something Zayn hadn’t signed up for. It’s not what Liam had in mind either, but he knew it’d be inevitable, even the doctor had told him that even if there weren’t any leakage _during_ the pregnancy, it’d happen soon enough after the baby was born.

“Wh- _Leeyum_ ,” Zayn says sternly and with a frown. He pushes the Omega back against the pillows so he can’t move, trapped with both of Zayn’s arms on either side of his body. “Stop it.” And it’s a request; however, it doesn’t come off as strong, more like a plead. “You’re not- you look _incredible_ ,” he breathes, trying his damnedest to be sincere. “And you don’t seem to get it. You’re carrying my baby, and you’re glowing, and all I want to do is make you feel good. Please.”

“O-okay,” Liam murmurs. “S’long as you don’t like… it’s not weird?”

Zayn rests a hand against Liam’s skin, drawing circles over his side and onto his stomach. The milk’s dried up by now, but there’s no doubt that’s what’s causing the soreness in his chest. The ache in his muscles are a different story though, coming from moving around with a larger tummy.

“Was prepared for it, babe. I go with you to the doctor’s, remember? I’m privy to information; you’re not alone in this.”

“Right,” he says, remembers that that must’ve been brought up at some point with Zayn in the room. Dr. Owens loves the hell out of Zayn, but Liam thinks that’s got to do with the extra charm he seems to put on for Liam’s sake. “Yeah, alright. Sorry.”

Zayn presses a kiss to the corner of Liam’s mouth, watches as his brow smoothes out before he relaxes again. “Now,” he begins. “The only thing I want you to do is moan from here on out, you got that? And you make sure I _make_ you moan,” he cocks an eyebrow, “no faking it, wanna year you, yeah.”

And with that, Zayn’s determined. He returns his mouth to Liam’s chest, and while there _is_ a protest upon Liam’s lips, he snaps his mouth shut and just let’s the Alpha do what he wants. Which, by the way, is to take one of Liam’s nipples back into his mouth, pressing against it gently with his tongue and nipping with his teeth. The milk isn’t enough of a flow, but it steadily gathers on Zayn’s tongue, some of it escaping down the corners of his mouth. He laps at it, does the same to the other side, not wanting to leave any of it untouched, neglected.

Liam’s fingers find themselves in Zayn’s hair again, gently massaging his scalp, dick growing increasingly harder.

When he gets too sensitive, when it begins to feel like too much pain rather than pleasure, Liam tugs Zayn back, gives him an easy smile to let him know he’s good before Zayn finally shifts himself down lower on the bed. His hands find Liam’s hip, gripping him tightly, only to kiss Liam’s mid-section, with such warmth and happiness, before he finally travels down further.

Finally giving in, Zayn keeps himself close to Liam, thumb rubbing the juncture between thigh and hip while nuzzling directly into the v of Liam’s legs.

Liam twitches, painfully hard at this point just from minor stimulation, but he’s been so pent-up that it’s no surprise that he’s already willing. His hole is even damp, not as wet as it would be during heat, but it’s enough for him to feel the slick between his ass cheeks, hoping that if Zayn doesn’t fuck him with his prick, then at least he’ll end up with fingers.

The thought of rushing quickly leaves his mind, though, as Zayn eventually leans in to give a tentative lick to the base of Liam’s dick. Normally he likes teasing the head first, tasting the pre-cum Liam leaves him, likes to run it over his lips before making Liam watch him lick it up. However, this time he pays particular attention to Liam’s balls. As heavy as they feel, they feel even better when Zayn runs his tongue over the sac. He doesn’t seem as nervous as he does just trying to get acquainted with the feeling, the texture, the weight. Half of Liam’s ballsack, if not more, is in his mouth, gently caressing them with his tongue pressed flat and against it.

Liam likes the feeling, rather enjoys it more than he thought he would until Zayn’s pulling away, and Liam’s whining in protest.

It’s possible that Zayn snickers, mouth already a little pink and wet from his own saliva, but that only serves to aid him in finally putting his lips around the tip of Liam’s dick. He takes it in, cheeks slightly hollowed, lips puckered at the head until he’s got the taste of Liam across the entirety of his mouth.

Liam can’t help but bite his lip, close his eyes and throw his head back further into his pillow. His thighs clench from not having done this in so long, but Zayn’s hand, still resting on Liam’s hip, pressing him down into the mattress to keep him from squirming.

“Zayn,” Liam whispers. “Can you- y-yeah, like that.”

The Alpha listens, of course he does, by brushing his tongue against the underside of Liam’s cock. He pushes against it, rubs and sucks and teases until he goes down further on Liam, taking as much of his cock as he can in one fell swoop.

Liam lets out another choked whimper, totally not prepared for Zayn’s actions, but he doesn’t mind it, not at all, especially when Zayn continues his assault. While the hand that holds Liam’s hip down is probably already leaving finger-shaped bruises, the other eventually finds its way to Liam’s balls, fondling them, caressing them, until he travels down the skin, middle finger eventually circling Liam’s clenching, wet hole

“This okay?” Zayn asks as soon as he pulls off of Liam. His lips are still shiny, and when Liam finds it in himself to open his eyes, positive they look bit hazy, all he can do is lick his lips and nod.

Zayn goes back to teasing him as soon as he receives his feedback. He dips his finger into Liam’s heat, sliding in with ease. Before long, he adds another finger, Liam already finding it difficult to keep his breathing even when Zayn continuously presses in further. His fingers are buried in deep, all the way down to his knuckles, and because of all of his blatant experience, it’s very easy to find Liam’s prostate.

Liam, though, know Zayn’s teasing, isn’t directly touching what he wants until he grinds himself down onto Zayn’s fingers. He’s more or less twisting them, not so much thrusting them in and out. By doing this, Liam gathers the bedsheets in his hands, grips them tightly because he’s near the edge of what he can feel is going to be an amazing orgasm. Most of it will have to do with being sensitive, but all Liam wants is his nerves to burn and explode with pleasure.

So with his growing frustration, Liam does something he doesn’t do often: he reaches down for Zayn, who let’s Liam grip his hair, before guiding him back to his cock with a strength he reserves for opening pickle jars and proving to Zayn that as much as he can hold Liam down and fuck him good, Liam can do the same, _ride_ him so good he’s left spent and sweaty and properly impressed.

There’s no protest though; Zayn willing goes down until he’s nudging Liam’s cock, bringing the tip back into his mouth before going down again. At the same time that happens, Zayn decides to take advantage, leaving Liam’s fingers slack in his hair, brushing over the bundle of nerves, the clear squelch of slick aiding his movements.

And as soon as Zayn pulls his fingers away, only to repeat his previous actions, Liam loses it. Between the finger fucking, and Zayn carefully sucking his dick, it’s too much at once, and Liam cums, moaning out Zayn’s name in the process.

Some of Liam’s spunk is caught on Zayn’s tongue, but since he’d only been half prepared for Liam’s climax, Zayn had pulled back just as Liam was riding out his high. The length of his neck and collarbone end up coated in white, along with some of it landing across the lower part of his jaw. He’s all smirks though, especially after Liam comes down and realizes exactly what he’s done. He blushes, furiously, but Zayn doesn’t poke fun of him for it, just gently removes his fingers from Liam, careful to lick them clean before grabbing Liam’s previously discarded shirt from off the floor.

He attempts to use it, but Liam makes a low, deep noise from his throat, eyes dark and beckoning Zayn closer. Zayn, on the other hand, all but drops the article of clothing, looks rather curious but does as Liam wants considering Liam’s indirectly in charge. Zayn may help him calm his nerves, tell him to relax, but this all on Liam, as it always should be.

“C’mere,” Liam tells him when Zayn’s not moving fast enough. He doesn’t know what Liam wants, and when he goes in for a kiss - because he assumes that that might be the case, and why Liam wouldn’t let him clean himself first is a mystery; Zayn’s definitely not afraid to let Liam consume him, have his mouth swollen and puffy for the next hour or two after a makeout session - Liam actually stops him, takes his jaw with a firm grip, not too hard, but not soft enough that it won’t move Zayn’s head to the side with a little bit of force.

Liam knows Zayn’s taken off guard by his actions, nearly loses his balance before he catches himself from falling on top of his Omega, but he doesn’t, and Liam’s allowed to get to what he wants: Zayn’s neck.

At first, he licks because his cum is still on Zayn’s skin. It’s not unbearable but not completely pleasant either. However, it’s the only way to get to Zayn’s skin, where his teeth scrape across the expanse until he’s gotten to a place he thinks is good enough to suck.

Zayn, no stranger to hickies, still hisses when Liam gets inpatient, not only determined to leave something behind, but aiming to add teeth marks as well.

But as much as it hurts, Zayn lets Liam do it. It’s a little more painful than necessary, and there’s honestly nothing Liam needs to prove to anyone, but as soon as he relents, kitten licks over what he thinks is a fine job, the skin already red and purpling, he whispers _mine_ , which inadvertently has Zayn stuttering, bucking his hips forward to rub up against Liam’s inner thigh and dropping his head down to Liam’s chest.

“Fuck.”

Liam hums before saying, “Keep going, Zayn.”

And Zayn listens. He lets his hand fall down between his legs, the upper half of his body still supported by his arm while he brings his knees in so he’s got a little more leverage. Liam can see how the muscles underneath his skin flex, especially on Zayn’s arm as he pumps himself, using the increasing pre-cum as a way to slick up his dick. By doing this, it helps when he decide to rub up against Liam’s thigh again, avoiding the Omega’s cock that still lies semi-hard between his legs. He’d much rather work them both to an orgasm, letting Liam have another around, but he’d just protest until Zayn had his first so that they were equal; at this point, he just rolls with it. He lets Liam run his fingers over his body, sliding down until his hand is brushing up against Zayn’s prick too, easily taking hold of it and letting him continue thrusting.

Liam’s words are nothing but encouraging, whispers of _you can do it_ ; _you look so fucking sexy,_ and _I want you to cum all over me, babe_. Zayn’s breath comes in pants, with Liam’s thumb now circling the head of his cock, pressing into the slit and making sure that there’s added stimulation aside from tightening his hand for added pressure. With that and the slew of dirty talk, Zayn’s nearly there, doesn’t waste his time with pleading or begging because as soon as he feels like he’s on the edge, just about to spill over, he finds Liam’s lips and presses them against his own. Liam seems to know it’s coming, bites and licks into Zayn’s mouth, and that’s when the Alpha gives in.

His own release hits him harder than expected, biting down on Liam’s lip while his hips move in erratic, jerky motions. He spills over Liam’s hand, down onto his thigh and the lower part of his stomach, coating him in white and feeling absolutely amazing for it. His knot has expanded, but not by much, not having been in Liam, but that doesn’t stop Liam from rubbing the thick of it, coaxing a little more cum out of Zayn’s dick, only for it to land on Liam’s thigh.

By now though, Liam’s had the chance to catch his breath, but when Zayn does give himself a second or two to collect himself, his chest rising and falls, smile on his, he notices that they both look glassy-eyed and fucked.

“Was, um,” Liam hesitates. “That was okay, right?” And that nervousness from before suddenly comes straight back.

Zayn doesn’t give him any satisfaction via an answer until he’s go the abandoned shirt in his hand, cleaning up whatever is left on himself - most of it’s dried by now - and the sweat his managed to gather.

The Omega, in the meantime while waiting for Zayn to say anything, runs a finger through Zayn’s spunk, rubbing it against his skin until he brings some up to his lips to taste it. Zayn doesn’t frown at his actions, but he does shake his head before tending to Liam quickly, wiping away any traces that they’d ever spilled any bodily fluid and just gotten done with being intimate.

“I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t’ve cum all over you if it wasn’t any good, Liam,” Zayn reasons.

And he proves a point, but Liam just huffs and turns his head away from his mate until Zayn nudges him.

“Liam, don’t play games.”

“It’s a simple yes or no,” he reasons, doing his best to shift himself onto his side. The pillows had done a wonderful job of keeping his back from hurting, but he’s sure he’ll really pay for it within the next hour or two when it’s all caught up with him. He doesn’t regret it, though.

Zayn sighs, but it’s not out of frustration, especially as he takes his place beside Liam, drawing the covers up over themselves before settling a hand over Liam’s stomach. “Yeah,” he replies. “Yes, the best.”

Liam’s happy with that answer, but he does feel drowsy. It’s the middle of the day, but a nap doesn’t sound half-bad right now. Zayn looks worn out too, and soon he feels his eyes begin to droop.

“Hey, Liam?” Zayn whispers just as he felt like he about to nod off.

“Hmm?” he hums, really not interested in small talk when he could be fast asleep right now.

“We’re probably gonna have’ta get something for those.”

And it’s such an off-handed comment that Liam has no idea what he’s talking about until Zayn’s hand, the one that had been on his tummy, moves upwards to brush against one of his nipples. He’s still sensitive there, moving away from Zayn’s touch and wonder what the hell he’s doing, but as soon as he opens his eyes and looks down, he finds that there’re little beads of milk, and Zayn had just been wiping some away.

He groans, aims to cover his chest and sit up in bed so he can go get himself a shirt in the meantime, but Zayn doesn’t let him, just keeps Liam close by telling him, “It’s okay, babe. They’ll probably stop leaking soon.”

“Only happened cuz you had to have ‘em in your mouth,” Liam retorts.

Zayn’s quick to fire back with smugness, “Don’t regret it.”

Liam would be surprised, but he’s almost positive that there’s nothing Zayn could do to surprise him now. He’s survived dealing with Liam the first few times they met, still unfamiliar with one another, and Liam untrusting of him. He’d made it through their dating, and Liam’s heat, and the announcement of their baby. Also handling his family, and the changes Liam going through. So certainly, it doesn’t come as a shock that he’d be more turned on by it than averse.

“Good,” Liam nods, hand tucked under his pillow, the dissatisfaction of his body slowly making its way out of his veins in favor of sweet dreams.

Whether Zayn truly joins him napping, Liam doesn’t know because he’s the first to fall asleep, but the last thing he does remember is Zayn’s soft, soothing whispers to the baby and warm, gentle touches.

Because even if the sex isn’t _too_ rough with the both of him (certainly rougher than any other act they do together), Liam knows for certain that Zayn will always, always treat him with a kind hand, and more respect than he possibly deserves.

In the end though, and probably what matters in some small section of the universe, is the fact that Zayn never does get to finish his cereal.

 

-

 

Zayn’s probably right in getting frustrated with at Liam. He hadn’t meant to be a bother, and certainly he hadn’t meant for Zayn to storm out of the apartment either, but some of his things around here are _dirty_ , and it’s like Liam can see it from across the room and has such a driving need to either a) get rid of it, or b) simply clean it up.

In the end, it’d led to Liam being annoying - cleaning the tv while someone’s trying to watch it isn’t exactly polite - nor is it any better slapping someone’s feet off of the coffee table and then bitching about leftover dishes either.

He said he was sorry, but things aren’t tidy, and Liam just wants to cry.

So here he is, alone in his apartment in the middle of the day, hoping that Zayn comes back soon because even in his anger, Liam’s still finding that it’s better to occupy himself with things to do around the house.

He’s already made the bed, done the laundry, cleaned the kitchen (which certainly did _not_ take three whole days to do; stupid pots and pans not having a rightful place. They’re difficult to stack in one of the cupboards, dammit, and it’s not like he meant to make all that racket).

And he might’ve gone through Zayn’s side of the closet and put stuff in order, mostly rearranged his shoes because he’s got a habit of chucking them off and leaving them wherever, too tired most nights to care about being neat at three in the morning.

But really, maybe, it’s also to do with the fact that Liam’s not been in the best of mood - his cleaning habits have been happening for the past week; the doctors appointments are becoming regular (checkups, they say. just to make sure the baby is okay. blood work, and sonograms, and praise, and people touching his stomach without asking).

Liam huffs, finds himself on the couch before long and just sits there with nothing else to do, watching whatever program is on tv because he can’t be bothered to do much else now that Zayn’s not here, and he feels terrible.

And mostly it’s just everything piling up into one huge ball of stress.

He hisses, hands immediately going to his stomach to rub out the area where the baby’s just kicked. “Now you’re mad at me?” The babe's been doing that a lot more lately, and quite frankly Liam likes it, sometimes. He likes knowing that all is well in there (especially after that one dreadful, dreadful doctor’s appointment where they informed him of the risks of carrying, and while it’s mildly common for Omegas like him [emphasis on the _like him_ ] to get pregnant, there were statistics about success rates and options in case of miscarriages). “I hope not cuz like, your baba’s mad at me, and I can’t afford to have you kicking me the rest of the day, okay? So, I’m sorry, baby. Calm down.”

He’s so settled on making sure things are right with him and his kid (and go on, laugh, but Liam’s found that it’s comforting, helpful even; particularly enjoys it when he gets to sing because that’s something important right there, the sound of his voice, familiarity for his offspring), that Liam doesn’t hear the front door open and a pair of heavy feet walking into the room.

Not until Zayn clears his throat, at least, and specifically asks him, “You always do that when I’m gone?” He looks rather timid, small and dead on his feet. It’s not something Liam would’ve liked to see on Zayn the moment he walked in, but at least he’s in one piece.

“Sometimes,” Liam answers truthfully, deciding it’s better if he pats the seat next to him so Zayn knows he can come sit down, that he’s wanted over here. “Can’t really tell if the kid’s playing around, or if they’re honest-to-god upset with me.”

Zayn comes over and sits down on the couch easily, right next to Liam despite the hesitancy in his movements.

“I’m sorry, by the way,” Liam says after the small extent of silence. “I didn’t mean to be annoying, but I can’t help it, not really. And you’d every right to get pissed at me.”

Zayn sighs, sits back on the couch so he’s a lot more comfortable before carefully and silently asking Liam to follow him. He does so, easily fitting into that space just underneath Zayn’s arm, although he’s careful with his weight, doesn’t like to lean in all the way with the fear of being too heavy. That’d been an interesting topic of conversation at one point not too long ago, and one Liam would rather not recount given that it had more or less ended up in tears because just as Zayn had predicted months ago, Liam wasn’t happy with not fitting into his clothes anymore. “No, I didn’t. Still don’t, Liam.”

“It’s okay,” Liam tries again, wanting to settle this. He could ask a million questions, but he won’t. It’s better to leave it, especially if Zayn’s nerve is already tightly pinched. “You don’t have to lie.”

“But I’m not, love. Harry said it’s probably something you’re going through.”

“You went to Harry’s,” Liam repeats, rubbing one of his eyes with the back of his hand. “Oh, how’s he doing?”

“Liam, don’t do that, yeah? Don’t make me feel bad,” Zayn pleads. “And don’t change the subject; that makes me feel worse.”

“I’m not,” Liam insists, but like, he can’t help it, especially when his bottom lip pokes out a little more, glances up with those big brown eyes through the fringe of his hair. “Like, at least it wasn’t somewhere else. I don’t know.”

Zayn leans forward then, presses his lips to Liam’s temple as his arm tightens around the Omega’s shoulders. In order to move on though, not exactly deflecting, Zayn continues, “Said it was nesting, or something like it; yeah.”

Liam scrunches up his nose, looks at Zayn with such a frown before declaring, “I’m not a bird, Zayn.”

And the rumble of laughter that emits from Zayn’s chest should be a good sign here, but Liam doesn’t exactly take it that way until the Alpha explains. “No, not like a bird, Liam. Since the baby’s almost here,” where Zayn reaches over with his free hand to rub around Liam’s stomach, which effectively causes another kick from the kid, “it’s your way of preparing, you know, getting the place ready.” As soon as he gets another kick from the baby - Liam no more amused than last time - Zayn smiles in return, can’t help the way his eyes sparkle with warmth and joy, tongue pressed firmly behind his teeth.

“Oh, yeah, t-that makes sense,” Liam says. “But I’m still sorry though. It’s annoying, isn’t it?”

“You were driving me up the wall-” is the first thing Zayn says before he’s silenced by Liam pulling away and glaring at him.

“How rude.”

“You asked though?” Zayn says, coming across as if he’s confused as to whether he’s supposed to be asking a question, or making a statement.

But then Liam breaks out into a grin, laughing while Zayn slowly becomes aware that Liam’s not actually mad at him. “Your face,” he points. “I’m not really that bad, am I?”

Which is a simple question, really, but Zayn seems to get something else out of it entirely, so he shakes his head. “Absolutely not,” waving his hand in the process. “I’m not going there. Don’t you dare.”

“Oh, c’mon, Zayn,” Liam drawls, shifting himself so that he’s facing Zayn.

“Be that way all you want, babe,” Zayn responds while fending off Liam’s pokes and prods to his chest, which eventually lead to little kisses around his collar bone, and neck, and maybe the mouth too. “Totally not falling for it.”

Liam snorts, but he doesn’t ask again. Not this time around, especially when he’s perfectly content to know that they’re both on the same page. Who knows how it’ll be in a few hours, if Liam’ll find something else to complain about, or if it’ll be tomorrow, or the next, and so on. “Okay, fine. How about you help me then? That way it not only gets done quickly, but it leaves no room for annoyances.”

Zayn narrows his eyes and looks at Liam with a mock-seriousness. “What’s the catch?”

“You listen to what I tell you to do because I’m right.”

The Alpha nods, scratches his jaw (because Liam, recently, has discovered a bit of a thing for the facial hair that Zayn’s decided to grow out. Something about it making Zayn look devilishly handsome - not that he wasn’t before, but like, there’s nothing that compares to the feeling of Zayn between his thighs - _hormones_ , Liam corrects. A newfound sex drive he’ll probably end up missing, the way he’s overly sensitive and prone to having Zayn do whatever the fuck he wants, all in the name of what they both hope to be a _brilliant_ fuck), and tilts his head to the side, regarding Liam with ease and playfulness. “Is that so?” he asks, but the attitude is short lived when the Omega arches a thick brow that dares Zayn to go on. “No, you’re right. Okay.”

Liam definitely takes it easy on Zayn afterwards, but it’s more than worth it.

The clean, carefully vacuumed carpet (in every room, by the way) look amazing.

 

-

 

In hindsight it happens way too quickly, all those months of worrying, and doctors appointments, and figuring out opportune schedules. Liam’s due in at the end of the month, plain and simple.

He can’t wait. They both can’t because it hasn’t been an easy ride, but it works. It’s positive. It happens; there’s support from Zayn’s family, and Ruth. And all is well all the way up to the day-of, when they’ve got to get up early to get to the hospital, where he’s prepared and scared because it’ll only be a matter of time before everything about himself as a person will shift, and no longer will Liam be an Omega who works in the IT department of some company, dating Alpha Zayn.

No, their roles will expand and priorities will change, and they’ve promised that they’d be in this together.

So it’s when he’s mainly numb, with Zayn dressed in blue scrubs, and Liam being opened up like a science experiment, that he mentally feels it happening, like a switch in his head, and it’s more anticipation than anything else.

Zayn grimaces (no doubt watching Liam being pulled apart for the sake of their child) and talks him through it, smiles those grand gestures because it’s not hard to see that his strings are pulled tight, energy bouncing off of his body with excitement.

It doesn’t last forever, and it’s more so a waiting game, but eventually there is nothing in the world that compares to the sound of a newborn baby crying. Liam would be the first to tell anyone that truth. It makes sense, to talk about new life in such a positive, ethereal kind of light. Most people cast it off, don’t understand the most natural, common occurrence when it comes to the reality of having taken part in the most basic, yet complicated piece of nature.

It’ll be something he will never forget, no matter the looks that people give him, regardless of the battle wound that’ll grace his stomach from the surgery, the c-section, they decided upon. A date, a time. Pre-planned so that nothing would go wrong.

But accidents happen, and Liam knows that even as his vision gets blurry, and Zayn calls his name, whether he dies on this operating table or not, it’d be worth it.

So very, very worth it because he knows what he’s done. Left a part of himself behind for Zayn to love, been apart of something he can finally be proud of.

His vision dances in dots of black and white before it’s a solid black slate, nothing left to be seen. It’s the first to go, what feeling he has left in his hands has gone as well. And then the hearing, it fades out, rounds and crackles until it disappears, where Liam’s eventually left in a state of unconsciousness.

 

-

 

The feet.

It’s always the toes that wiggle first underneath a warm blanket. It’s weird feeling the entire body come to life, to know that it’s active and very well aware of the atmosphere, can feel the offset of not being awake for hours on end.

Liam breathes, shifts just enough before a dull pain hits him hard. He stops after that, his body protesting the movements until he can blink open his eyes, so very slowly so that he can adjust to the dim light within the room.

It’s the hospital, he recognizes. There’s no way not to with the window, the tv, the unfamiliarity of being in a new room for the first time.

And there’s someone with him, someone there just beside his bed, and Liam doesn’t know exactly what’s going on.

He does, however, hear the soft cry and the wiggling in the crib that’s placed just next to his bed. He can’t directly see inside, not with the angle he’s at, but Liam’s more than a little disoriented, and nothing clicks for him to be able to recognize the fact that that little something is rightfully his.

And maybe after that he falls asleep again for a few mere moments because as soon as he reopens his eyes, their weight heavy, nearly foggy with sleep, there’s Zayn, disheveled and tired, but holding a mess of a blanket in his arms. He’s pushed back into his seat, cupping the material against his chest, and maybe Liam’s just slow because _oh_ ; it’s moving, a little arm disentangling itself from being wrapped up, reaching out until Zayn coos softly, quietly, as if he’s any louder it might shatter the fragility in the room.

The Alpha lifts his hand, helps the little baby (because Liam’s figured it out now; there’s no way not to at this point) find his fingers that are massive in comparison, so tiny that they don’t even curl around Zayn’s forefinger. He’s also holding the bundle so preciously against his chest, so carefully and tightly against his body in case something, someone - maybe he himself - might harm the delicate package.

Liam knows he can feel the swelling of his heart. “What’s-” he starts, but his voice cracks, the roughness of his throat becoming apparent now that he’s using his vocal cords. It’s not loud enough to draw Zayn’s attention until Liam makes the effort again with a single word. “Is there a name?”

He’s sure he sounds slurred and off, but Zayn’s head immediately snaps up and away from the baby, hoping that he hadn’t falsely heard something. But as he searches, he meets Liam’s eyes, and the amount of relief that shows across his features does something to Liam’s insides, twists them with guilt over the fact that Zayn had been lost, left behind with the happiness of a newborn child, but the understanding that he could very well lose Liam.

“Doesn’t,” Zayn speaks, tries his best to get his breathing under control, Liam knowing for certain that there’re tears prickling the Alpha’s eyes. “She doesn’t have one. The nurses keep laughing at me because I just call her baby, but I-” The shrug of his shoulders is a good indication that he’d been half absent the entire time Liam had been unconscious. Obviously he’d been forced to meet her no doubt having put up a fight, wanting to _wait_ for Liam so they could greet their daughter together.

“I’m sorry,” Liam says. “I mean, like, I don’t- what happened, and then-”

The Alpha is able to shift himself with a practiced ease, holding the baby while leaning forward to bring his mate comfort. “Liam, it’s okay. Don’t.” He shakes his head, rubs his thumb over the back of Liam’s hand. “They said it happens sometimes, lots of blood loss, and it’s okay. You’re okay.” Zayn lets out of a breath of relief along with his smile that warms his otherwise tired eyes. Liam can see that he looks dead on his feet, possibly from sleeping in hospital chairs and keeping his family up-to-date.

And the baby.

Liam’s eyes dart down to the small bundle who’s taken to waving his arms, more than likely trying to gain someone’s attention. So far she’s been a quiet little thing, but Liam knows the power of her lungs, still remembers the sound of _healthy_ and _alive_. “It’s a girl?” Liam whispers. He disentangles his hand from Zayn’s to reach forward towards the blanket, wanting to push away the material so he can get a good look at the babe’s face. But he stops himself, as if he’s been scolded, not quite sure if he’s allowed to touch until Zayn makes the connection and stands up to sit on the edge of Liam’s bed.

“Sit up a bit more,” he directs. “Careful of your stitches too, yeah.” He nods down towards Liam’s stomach, waits for the other lad to move into a better position.

Once Liam’s comfortable, Zayn gently places the baby in Liam’s arms, directing him on where to place his hands, especially with Liam staring at him with wide-eyes as if he might do something wrong. “You won’t hurt her, love,” Zayn reassures as he pulls back, giving Liam full control. “She’ll squirm, and maybe cry for a second, but she’ll fall asleep quickly.”

Liam pulls away a portion of the blanket near the child’s face so he can get a clear view, also makes sure that the material doesn’t come undone completely, something about babies feeling comfortable while swaddled. One of her little hands is pressed into a fist, tucked under her face, and Liam can’t help but use his free hand to draw over the delicate skin.

Even if it’d nearly been nine months of carrying a small little human, and even with Liam having imagined this event, nothing compares to this moment where he studies _his_ baby. Can’t seem to take his eyes off of the infant in fear he might miss something. She’s got some hair, from what Liam can see under the hat she’s wearing. It’s dark, just like her small eyelashes that frame little eyes. Her cheeks are incredibly chubby, face round and nose like a button. The skin, a light wash of honey, a mixture from both Liam and Zayn, is soft, and it’s so easy to distinguish the fragility of what lies in his arms. And maybe it’s what every parent talks about, this indescribable feeling of a cliche moment that people live through daily, but it hits home far more than he ever would’ve imaged.

“She’s beautiful,” Liam chokes out, the vail of emotions only growing stronger rather than dissipating. “Oh god, _Zayn_ , she’s perfect.”

Zayn only gives Liam a huff of laughter before he’s moving up onto the bed, manages to make room for himself right beside Liam so that they’re shoulder to shoulder. “I know,” he agrees, and after that, he keeps quiet, lets Liam have his moment just as he’d been given the same, only fair that Liam has these few minutes to get acquainted with their daughter.

But the silence that ensues is not anything bad, nor awkward. It comes from somewhere humble and rich full of emotions that would be too much for either of them if they were spoken aloud.

That is, until Liam breaks the silence, reminiscent, but still full of hope. “I wish my mother could’ve been here,” Liam murmurs. “She would’ve been crying the entire time.” He laughs, but quickly quiets down when he realizes the baby startles, unfamiliar to Liam. He can’t wait to fix that.

Zayn rubs Liam’s arm, the only kind of comfort he knows how to give. “If not now, maybe in the future. They’re missing out.” Eventually, Zayn brushes his fingers through Liam’s hair, curled at the tips and a little disheveled. It’s difficult to wrap his arms around Liam with the way they’re all settled on the bed together, and it’s the next best thing he can do in order to feel close, having spent a few good hours watching Liam’s chest rise and fall and hope that he’d wake up soon. “But if it helps any, you’ve got an entire waiting room full of people here to see you and her.”

Liam immediately nods absentmindedly, knowing that seeing Ruth and the rest of the Malik family will do him some good, realizing that once they’re allowed in, the room will only grow warmer, happier.

He continues to brush his fingers against his child’s skin though, the curve of chubby cheeks, paying too much attention to the fact that this baby, this little girl is _his_. A part of himself in the flesh, something Zayn had given him, whom he loves just as much.

“Zakiya,” Liam says quietly before looking up at Zayn with permission. He’d rather not settle on something Zayn doesn’t agree with; after all, this was a joint effort. But Zayn just smiles, a little watery and full of so much pride that Liam can’t even stop his own happiness from shining through.

The next response Liam receives is Zayn leaning forward to press his lips quickly, lovingly to Liam’s. And it doesn’t last as long as neither one of them would’ve liked; there’s a squirming babe in Liam’s arms that has both parent’s grinning and agreeing that pda is already not accepted by their kid.

But the little girl is next, curled up close to Liam, where she too receives a kiss to the forehead from Zayn. “Mum’s going to be thrilled,” he reasons, hearing the brush of laughter that Liam follows up with. “And she’s going to be so loved.”

“Spoiled,” Liam corrects. “Yeah, no kidding.”

While Zayn realizes it’s definitely true, already knows he’d do anything for his daughter, there’s still one very important thing he feels like he’s got to get off of his chest, as if Liam didn’t know already. “I love you, _Leeyum_ ,” he says softly. “Thank you.”

Sometimes Zayn isn’t so easy to read, but Liam’s learning, still, and just as much as he can see fulfillment and the downright joy Zayn has in his eyes, glistening so brightly and lovingly now that Liam’s here to join him, it’s easy to say that Liam feels the exact same way.

And more than anything, it’s perfect.


	4. honeysuckle lazy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> there’s the trouble of liam being away from kiya for the first time, to zayn not planning a successful night out (until he does), and then on top of that, there’s the fact that there’s some stuff that neither of them had intended on admitting. but either way, it’s for the good of their relationship; really, it is.

The most rewarding experience for Zayn now is the fact that Liam sometimes stays up late and waits on him to come home. He’ll be tucked into the couch, head against the armrest while Zakiya sleeps peacefully on his chest. Her little head is usually buried in the crook of Liam’s neck, and his arm is always around her body, keeping her from falling and hurting herself.

Zayn can’t quite explain the bubble of emotions that fills his chest whenever he sees them together, not really. Can’t even do anything but smile so warmly and swallow down the thickness of love that threatens to spill over.

This time is no different either. Zayn sets his bag down, kicks off his shoes and figures he’ll take the reprimanding Liam gives him in the morning for not putting his things away properly. It’ll be worth it as he gets closer, sees how Kiya’s little fist curls around the cotton of Liam’s shirt. Her breathing is even, and she looks so small in Liam’s arms, and honestly, Zayn doesn’t want to startle them, would rather wrap a blanket around their figures. However, Liam would complain about a crick in his neck, and Kiya might wake at any moment for a diaper change and some food.

Zayn carefully pries Liam’s hands away from the tiny body. She’s grown in the past couple of months, but they’re both still afraid of breaking her. Zayn’s careful as he picks her up to place her against his chest; at this, Liam startles until Zayn presses his hand against Liam’s cheek. “It’s okay, babe,” he whispers.

Liam blinks carefully as he shifts, waking up and trying to avoid the harsh light of the only lamp he left on in the room. “You’re home.”

“Yeah,” the Alpha whispers back. “‘m gonna go change her and put her to bed, babe.”

Despite Liam yawning and looking absolutely groggy, he sits up and protests. “Zayn, it’s not a bother. I’ll do it while you get ready for bed; you’ve had a long day.” Climbing off the couch, Liam aims to take the sleeping baby from Zayn.

But Zayn doesn’t allow that, shakes his head and leans forward to press his lips against Liam’s cheek. “My turn,” he says with a soft smile. “You’ve been with her all day; now let me spend a few minutes with our daughter.”

As much as Zayn tries to look stern and commanding, none of it really works when Liam smiles so brightly. There’s sleep still nestled in the corner of his eyes; his hair’s a mess, shirt rumpled, and there’s no doubt he could do with a few more hours of rest, but it’s hard to be strict when Liam is Liam, and Zayn finds him all sorts of adorable.

“Okay,” he eventually agrees. He doesn’t forget to press a kiss to Kiya’s temple and walk out of the living room, leaving Zayn and the baby to himself. She’s nearly three months now, and Zayn literally can’t picture his life any other way.

Kiya is tucked so carefully against him, and as Zayn turns to exit, heading for the baby’s room (once empty and holding nothing but boxes), he hums. It doesn’t do a lick of good for the little girl considering she’s already asleep, but Zayn still does it anyway, even as he changes her, dresses her back up in her onesie, and gently places her into her crib.

She’s usually a sound sleeper, but she startles the moment Zayn lets go of her, him having to quickly rest the palm of his hand on her chest to let her know she’s not alone. And as soon as she’s settled, Zayn finishing up the quiet hum of a song he remembers his own mother giving his sisters, he exits the room, fully prepared to find Liam already asleep, gathered under the comforter, subconsciously waiting for Zayn to join him.

+

Unfortunately, Zayn doesn’t usually get Saturday’s off. They’re the busiest night of the week aside from Friday’s at the bar, and Harry usually needs all the help he can get bartending. Of course, that leaves Sunday and the following Monday for Zayn to have his bit of peace and spend it with Liam and Kiya. It’s the moments he looks forward to the most knowing that his family has extended, and he’s responsible for them.

It’s also his chance to quietly admire Liam and all the confidence he’s gained since their daughter was born. He’s protective, certainly, but Liam doesn’t crowd next to Zayn while they’re walking, and he’s gotten pretty used to other Alpha’s staring at him. It doesn’t make it right, but Liam, more often than not, gives them a bit of a glare and goes on his way.

Sometimes it’s hard for Zayn to believe that Liam still doesn’t know how special he is.

To the world, he’s probably just another Omega, someone who’s easy to toy with because he’s a male and slicks up when aroused. And granted, that’s appealing; it’d be a lie to say it isn’t, but Liam’s _not_ just that anymore (never was, if anyone asks Zayn, but obviously he’s thought him the world). He’s so much more.

A nice person, a good friend, smart, and humble. A _father_.

And stubborn. God, is he stubborn.

(Zayn just wants to smack his head against the wall sometimes, doesn’t know whether it’s a completely positive thing that Liam voices so many of his opinions now [mostly because he’s stubborn, not that Zayn can’t respect them].

The Alpha chalks it up to being a new parent, and to be fair, that’s okay. Zayn can live with that).

Zayn just wishes Liam would see himself as Zayn’s equal, and sometimes he does, when they’re around Zayn’s family who completely dote on Liam as much as they do Kiya. Or on days like today when Liam’s giving Zayn an exaggerated sigh because no, she’s not going dressed as the female version of Iron Man-

“Or the Hulk, Zayn. No.”

He pouts. He does with his bottom lip and wide, innocent (well no, not so innocent) eyes. “C’mon, Liam. It’s the perfect excuse for us to dress up again, yeah?”

Liam’s got both his hands on Kiya’s little body, helping her sit up while she tries to reach for one of her toys. “You’re just saying that because you want me to go as Batman again.”

It’s nothing short of a sly smirk that Zayn sends Liam. He gives a slow shrug, definitely not embarrassed of his thoughts all the while Liam completely flushes, cheeks tinted a nice shade of rosy red because, “ _Zayn_.”

“ _Liam_ ,” Zayn says, doing his best to copy Liam’s squeaky voice. “You look _good_ dressed as Batman, babe. You’ve only yourself to blame for that one.” The Alpha pokes Liam’s thigh with his toe before leaning over and pressing a rather large, wet kiss to Liam’s neck.

The response from Liam comes in the form of giggles (more of a habit gained from Kiya, Liam typically defends himself with; she makes him _happy_ and that kind of emotion just does things to people) and his attempt to shield himself from anymore of Zayn’s surprises. “Halloween isn’t for another few months anyway.”

“Planning ahead, love, and speaking of that-” Zayn pauses and decides to relieve Liam from holding up Kiya by setting her on his lap. He’s not gone completely serious, but the conversation has definitely shifted, and Zayn feels a bit uneasy with this one. It must’ve slipped his mind, otherwise he would’ve informed Liam a few days ago, but it’s too late, and his mate’s looking at him curiously now. “Mum said she wanted to see Kiya,” the Alpha begins again, looking up at Liam with Kiya nestled safely in the hold of his arms. She’s chewing on a set of plastic rattle keys, completely drooling until Liam grimaces and cleans her up with a spare spit rag.

“Your mum’s always welcome, Zayn,” Liam says, handing Kiya her keys back with much less slobber on them. “You know that.”

“Yeah, I know,” Zayn replies, but he glances up at Liam through the thick of his lashes as if he’s hesitant to go on and mention anything further. “Just figured maybe she could, I dunno, take Kiya for a night or two?”

Those words don’t seem to register with Liam until about two seconds after they’re spoken. Liam freezes, quickly looking up at Zayn before raising his eyebrows. “You mean to let your mum watch her for the weekend? Without us?”

Zayn can already see how Liam feels uncomfortable with that notion, and honestly, if he’s not happy with that arrangement, it’s perfectly fine. It’s just a thought, and Zayn figured it’d be nice for Liam, at least, to have a bit of a break, catch up on sleep, spend a little time with Zayn without having to time anything because they never know when Kiya’s going to wake.

“Doesn’t have to be all weekend, babe,” Zayn tries explaining. He also knows the apprehension comes with the fact that they’ve never left Kiya anywhere before, have never been without her the past three months since she was born. They’re both attached; they’re her parents, after all, but with Liam taking time off work in order to stay home to watch her, Zayn knows how difficult that might be to part with her for longer than a few hours.

Liam worries a lot. Zayn does too, but he’s not as vocal about it, doesn’t like scaring Liam or worrying him anymore than he already does.

The Omega reaches out for Kiya, takes her and whispers an _I’m sorry_ into her hair for moving her around so much. She’s a happy little thing, her rattle the only thing she seriously has eyes for at the moment, and she doesn’t fuss when Liam holds her against his chest.

“She’s not even six months yet, Zayn.” As if that’s a simply enough of an excuse to not follow through with Zayn’s offer. “And _leaving_ her for the weekend sounds a bit selfish, doesn’t it?”

“Liam,” Zayn tilts his head and reaches out to squeeze Liam’s thigh, “we’re not _abandoning_ her. She’ll be safe with my mum, and the girls adore her, and I just thought-”

He huffs is what he does, Liam. Frowns too because maybe it is too soon to be leaving Kiya with family for nothing more than a day or two. Zayn sighs too  and tries to retract his previous thoughts until Liam suddenly blurts out. “-don’t wanna end up pregnant again. Not right now, at least, if that’s still a possibility”

And if Liam had been speaking properly instead of mumbling, Zayn would’ve heard what else he had to say before furrowing his brow and getting mildly ticked off. “Are you serious?” he asks. “Liam, for fuck’s sake; that’s _not_ what this is about, yeah?”

The other male looks more than a little wounded, but he shakes it off and reaches out for Zayn’s hand as comfort. “That was out of line,” he says. “One surprise baby was enough for me, I think, and now you want the weekend-”

Zayn hangs his head and shakes it before turning back to his Omega. He’s not upset, but he realizes exactly what this sounds like now that Liam's putting it into perspective. “You didn’t let me finish.”

“Sorry-” Liam aims to continue, but Zayn just raises a brow to stop him.

“A day or two without Kiya isn’t gonna hurt either of us,” Zayn continues. “Mum wanted to see her, so I thought that maybe we could have some time to ourselves.” He dips his head to make sure Liam’s following him in his train of thought. “You could get in some sleep, and I could make you dinner...”

Liam’s mouth forms into a perfectly round _o_ shape with Zayn slowly nodding his head. “And if it leads to something more?”

It’s easy enough to see the way Liam carefully looks over at Zayn, apparently disregarding his distaste for sex just moments ago. Zayn nudges him though. “Cheeky,” he says. “But we’ll figure out something if it comes to that, yeah?”

Liam settles himself after that, seemingly satisfied while he rubs the palm of his hand over Kiya’s back, her having fallen asleep with her rattle tucked close under her chin. "Didn't think I'd love something this much," Liam admits.

Zayn scoots closer to Liam, pinching his side which only has the Omega scolding him for disrupting Kiya. She settles back down when Zayn touches her cheek. "What about me?" he pouts.

"Yeah, I guess you too." Liam laughs and offers his lips for Zayn to press his against. And while it’d be very nice to take it much farther, Zayn’s got to settle for letting Liam go and just being with his family.

Because that’s what he has now, a family of his own, a proper place instead of being nothing but a son and a bartender. It’s worked out perfectly for him, and that’s something Zayn doesn’t understand, doesn’t think he’ll ever be able to.

All he can be is proud, and if there was ever a way to thank Liam for everything so far, he’d do it in a heartbeat. Instead, and at least for now, he sits in the silence until Liam clears his throat to talk. “That’s okay,” he says. And when Zayn looks at his Omega when he doesn’t understand what he’s answering to, Liam repeats it with a simple smile gracing his lips. “Your mum, like, if she wants to watch Kiya, I wouldn’t mind.”

And all it takes is a quirk of Zayn’s brow for Liam to roll his eyes and correct himself.

“Okay, I _would_ mind, but I’m gonna have to do it sooner or later, right? Kiya’s gonna go off to school in no time-”

“No,” Zayn says, his voice having gone rather dark and serious. “I forbid it.”

Liam snorts out a laugh. “Too bad, babe,” he teases. “One of these days, it’s gonna happen-”

And Zayn cuts him off again with a wave of his hand, plugging his ears in the process. “Rude, mean, _cruel_. She’s a babe, Liam; no more future talk.”

The Omega aims to open his mouth again, eyes lit up in utter joy at finally pushing a button within Zayn, even if it’s only joking. “Of course.” And then he leaves Zayn with a kiss before he’s carefully pushing himself off the floor, most likely headed to put Kiya in her crib.

As Zayn watches him leave, he can’t help but hope that this weekend turns out wonderful. Sex or not, that hadn’t necessarily been on Zayn’s mind, not with them adapting to having Kiya around and getting little to no sleep. There’d also been Liam’s surgery scar healing, along with feeding their daughter. All in all, Liam’s exhausted, more so than Zayn because he’s sacrificed so much to make everything work out smoothly so Zayn wouldn’t have to quit his job. Adjustments take time and energy, and all Zayn wants is a bit of a breather, more so for Liam than himself.

Kiya is everything he didn’t know he needed in his life, and Zayn spoke the truth when he said they wouldn’t be discarding her. But if his mother is willing to spend time with her granddaughter, then there shouldn’t be a reason not to take that kind of opportunity.

Parents deserve breaks every once in a while too. And speaking of which, Zayn should probably give his mother a rather long hug and thanks for all the shit he’d put her through as a child.

It’s only _now_ that he understands, and to be honest, it’s only the beginning.

+

“Do you think she’d need-”

“Liam.”

“Or another blanket, maybe?”

“Liam-”

“And food. Like, what if I didn’t give them enough bottles? Then they’ll call, and I’ll have to figure out the powder formula and-”

“ _Leeyum_ ,” Zayn says for a third time, a little more sternly so the Omega will finally listen.

He blinks is what he does, eyes a little wild with innocence and worry, and Zayn can’t help but immediately deflate. It’s not that he’s annoyed, not really, but he hadn’t expected this level of simple _stress_ from Liam. His mother had come by for Kiya about an hour ago, and now they’re sitting in this really nice restaurant because Zayn thought it’d be a good idea to be around people again- _adults_ instead of a baby - to have a conversation.

But no. It hasn’t gone according to plan so far, and Zayn can’t blame Liam one bit because sure, there’s a part himself that’s concerned for the wellbeing of his child too. Although, it’s not like he can’t trust his mother. She’s absolutely wonderful, and she’d go out of her way for them and Kiya, and really, it’d probably be insulting if he called to check up on her. She’s been a mother for more than twenty years, and if anyone’s gonna know what to do if something goes wrong, it’d be her.

Now, if only Zayn could convince Liam of that.

“Babe, she’s at mum’s house, yeah? She’s gonna have plenty of blankets and stuff to stay warm with, and if they run out of food or diapers-”

Liam fiddles with the condensation on his glass, runs his pointer finger over a droplet until he can find the courage to look at Zayn. “Yeah but-”

“No,” the Alpha shakes his head. “Breathe, and remember that if something were to happen, you’d _know_.”

“Instincts,” Liam says as if that makes a whole lot of sense. It should; Liam would _definitely_ know if something were off, and so would Zayn. Everything’s fine despite the paranoia being more than understandable. “You’re not upset with me, are you? Have I ruined dinner? I have, haven’t I?”

Zayn’s the last person who’d want Liam to suffer, so he reaches forward for Liam’s hand, intertwines their fingers together as a way of blatant reassurance. To further his gesture, Zayn also brings Liam’s hand towards himself, presses his lips against the back of it and mouths, “You haven’t. S’normal to worry.”

Try as he might, the smile Liam works onto his face fails to be convincing. There’s only so much Zayn can do to help the anxiety, and maybe pushing them out to a restaurant was taking it a bit far. Maybe spending _one night_ away from Kiya was too much at one time, should’ve been done for a few hours tops. “Hey,” Zayn squeezes Liam’s hand to gain his attention again. “Why don’t we get out of here?”

Liam’s brows furrow in complete confusion, looks around before leaning forward into Zayn’s space. “We haven’t even ordered yet.”

Zayn shrugs. “So? I’ll leave a tip, and we can get out of here.” He looks hopeful, like maybe his mate will agree easily with his offer. Being around other people has a tendency to require being modest and somewhat respectable. It’s quite stuffy, is the thing, and the longer it takes for Liam to answer Zayn, the more he’s beginning to realize that he should’ve just done something simpler than this. It’s not that they aren’t romantic or boring people (which, that’s probably up for debate according to a few of their friends), but Zayn’s learned (and still is, really) that Liam doesn’t need big gestures to feel appreciated. Liam doesn’t need nor want to feel special by spending money.

He’s humble, and while Zayn sometimes wishes Liam weren’t so hardheaded about some things, what he should’ve planned suddenly pops into his head, and he grins. “C’mon. I can sit here all night waiting for your answer, but that wouldn’t do us a lick of good.”

He bites his lip, Liam does, probably wanting to worry about being absolutely rude by up and leaving, but before he can do so, Zayn is dragging him out of his seat, throwing a couple of bills down onto the table and leading Liam out of the restaurant.

“What’s your plan, then?” he asks once they’re outside and headed to the car.

Zayn lets a mild smirk grow upon his face ,and he shakes his head. “This was supposed to be a surprise, and it turned out awful. So what we’re doing next is going to be a surprise too.”

“And if that turns out bad?”

The Alpha clicks his tongue and lets out a breathy laugh. “It won’t,” he says. “Hopefully.”

And then they’re off, with Liam grinning and wiggling in his seat from excitement while Zayn focuses on trying to fix their evening.

+

“-and he just _trips_ , like.” Zayn leans forward and waves his arms in imitation, catching himself before he can face-plant onto the floor.

“No, he didn’t,” Liam counters, smiling wide before he brings the wine glass up to his lips.

“He did,” Zayn nods. “Just catches himself on his foot or something, and then he’s going down. And the water, man.” He’s got to cover his mouth with the back of his hand to keep himself from laughing so hard, but the memory of Harry being clumsy is too hard not to ignore. “Like, the cup just flies outta his hand and onto some chick sitting at a booth.”

And the story probably wouldn’t be all that funny since Liam wasn’t there to witness it, but being drunk on a bottle of wine makes a lot of things hilarious. It’s also the reason Liam’s a lot more relaxed, stretched out on their bed and feeling fuzzy. The comforter is soft beneath his body (so are the pillows he’s leaning against), and Zayn’s towards the other end of the bed, recanting the moment Harry tripped over himself only to end up spilling the drink someone ordered all over a girl.

“Wasn’t mad, was she?” Liam eyes widen slowly. It’s the effects of the alcohol, but there’s nothing better than feeling relaxed.

“Of course.” The Alpha sputters, rolling his eyes and shaking his head before adding, “And then because it’s _Harry_ , he calms her down enough to offer her a free drink.”

While Zayn shifts on the bed, crawling a little closer to Liam, the Omega licks his lips and bites his tongue before he pieces together where Zayn’s going with the story. Liam knows Harry, and it’s not difficult to understand that this guy with green eyes and curly hair is easy on the eyes, makes people come _back_ to the bar, and has a heart of fucking gold (to which Liam pouted at that realization until Zayn reassured the Omega that his was bigger; smirks ensued after that, of course). “He didn’t. No,” Liam shakes his head, but Zayn nods as he crawls up Liam’s frame.

“Yeah, just guess.”

Liam snorts and pulls on Zayn’s shirt, dragging him down on top of him until he’s close enough to lean in for a kiss. “He got her fucking number, didn’t he?”

“The bastard,” Zayn says as soon as he pulls back from Liam. They both taste like wine and cheap take-out because that had been Zayn’s plan: pick up some crummy food and a bottle of wine, have themselves a picnic in their living room before moving it all to the bedroom where it’s a lot more comfortable now.

Of course, the bottle is gone, and they’re more than just a little drunk, but they’ve been talking, and Liam’s ceased his worry. Which, by the way, has only made Zayn a little proud given he helped Liam take some of the edge off. His own concerns have ebbed away. He’d rather not look like an unconcerned parent, but maybe it’s because he’s had a duty to leave the house for work, keep away from Liam and Kiya to make a living while Liam takes some time off.

And that’s not to say that what Liam’s doing is any sorts of wrong or any _less_ than what Zayn’s doing, because that’s not the case. But this is what they’ve agreed on, especially after Zayn had his scare of nearly losing Liam after Kiya’s birth. To keep him safe is a priority, and Zayn hates to think he’s got to play into the dominance versus submissive roles that tend to happen given the society they live in, but he’ll be damned if something happens, and if that means playing Alpha, then he’ll do it.

So far, that’s not been necessary, but Zayn understands what his mother always meant when she said a parent would do _anything_ for their child. Liam may not be a child, but Zayn loves him all the same, and he deserves all that Zayn can give.

“We don’t have to,” Zayn suddenly whispers, turning their conversation on its head.

Liam doesn’t look like he minds that fact, just cocks an eyebrow while Zayn hovers over him. “I know I said I didn’t-” And he pauses, looks away from Zayn and blinks, trying to gether his words. “- _you know_ ,” he starts again, “but it _has_ been awhile, and we’re alone, so.” To prove his point, Liam manages to bring Zayn down for another kiss, wrapping his fingers up in Zayn’s hair and tugging to entice.

“Okay,” Zayn moans as soon as he pulls away from Liam, burying his face into the crook of Liam’s neck. He’s got a t-shirt on, and Zayn would definitely prefer it to be off, off so that he can sink his teeth into Liam’s shoulder before licking over his marks. “Just know you can back out-”

The Omega huffs out a laugh, hand still situated in Zayn’s hair. He takes advantage of that, really tugging on the roots just to get his mate to look at him. “You always take care of me,” he whispers fondly, eyes a little shiny and so, so brown. “Wanna do the same for you.” And then he nuzzles into the sharpness of Zayn’s shoulder, reaching up and playfully biting his ear.

It’s difficult to even form words, and Zayn has to close his eyes and focus on breathing just so he doesn’t cum too quickly. And it’s a funny thing, being an Alpha, prone to lasting longer than Betas or Omegas. But Liam’s got this effect on Zayn, his scent, his warmth, his _smile_ does things to him he never thought possible with anyone else. Liam makes him want to be better at anything and everything, save for the fact that he typically makes Zayn a little more careful and mischievous.

“Y-you can do that,” Zayn mutters. It’s already a little too hot in here. With the wine in his system, them laying on the bed, and both having all of their clothes on, Zayn just wants them off, wants to be able to breath easy and taste Liam on his tongue.

So, Zayn sits away from Liam, quickly ridding his shirt. And even though he’s straddling Liam’s thighs, that doesn’t stop him from unbuttoning his jeans and clumsily slipping them off. “Too much clothing, babe,” he tells Liam. He’ll keep his boxers on for now, but it’s not as stuffy anymore, and he’s grateful for that.

Afterwards, he helps Liam off with _all_ of his clothes, smirks when Liam pouts and tugs on Zayn’s boxers until he swats the Omega’s hand away. “You’re always a tease, no.” That doesn’t help with Liam’s frown, but Zayn makes it up to him by kissing Liam’s inner thigh, licking and biting his way up until he gets to what he wants.

Liam’s already half-hard, the tip of his dick pink and enticing. Before the Omega is able to get another word out, Zayn’s got the foreskin pulled back, tongue delving into the slit of Liam’s cock. He swirls his tongue around the lad under him, uses the heat and wetness of his mouth to make Liam even harder, plump on the swell of his tongue. The weight of it is something Zayn’s used to, mouth round and stretched as he sinks himself further down around the member.

It’s difficult to smirk in his position, but Zayn knows he looks a little overconfident when he glances up at Liam through the thick of his lashes. Liam makes little mewling noises just because Zayn’s really not giving this his all. He’s the one being a tease now, and while he normally does that anyway, it doesn’t make it any less fun when he gets to do it again. To see Liam squirm is one of Zayn’s favorite things, the way he wiggles and _begs_ for Zayn to fuck him good. It gives him pride as an Alpha to know that he’s doing his job, taking care of his Omega by pleasing him in every way he knows how.

When Zayn decides to finally suckle on Liam, he’s caught off guard when Liam thrusts upwards. Since Zayn’s not prepared, he ends up with a few tears in his eyes; however, that doesn’t stop him from blowing Liam. Instead, he presses a hand into Liam’s hip, curls his fingers tight so he can see bruises there later. Doing so forces Liam to keep still, and it also manages to give Zayn a little more leverage to tease him.

So, Zayn keeps going, uses his free hand to help spread Liam’s legs a little wider before finding his way back to Liam’s hole. He’s already slick, some of it already leaking. Zayn works a finger over Liam's entrance, mouth still tight on his cock. When Liam tries to buck up again, Zayn doesn’t let him, eventually sliding his finger straight into Liam, all the way down to the knuckle.

At this point in their life, Zayn’s pretty aware of Liam’s body. He knows exactly which way to work his fingers and his mouth to get his mate off, and it’d be so very easy to do that now. Although, Zayn knows better than to do that, knows that Liam would get his revenge by getting Zayn so close to the edge before pulling back and doing it all over again. And Liam likes it too. As much as Zayn loves messing with Liam, getting him off until he’s knotted and spilling inside of his Omega, that doesn’t mean Liam’s not the same in that regard. He may not have a knot, but he does like a bit of dirty talk, particularly when he gets to whisper it in Zayn’s ear.

When Liam’s little noises grow consistent, Zayn finally takes that as his cue to switch gears. Liam’s closer to the edge, but not quite there just yet. So, while Zayn pulls back, and Liam looks like he wants to protest, Zayn just kisses his words away, laps at the bottom of his lip until he’s nibbling on it, roughly rubbing himself up against Liam’s thigh.

That’s when Liam grips Zayn’s hips, steadying him and forcing the older male to look at him. There’s a smile in his eyes as he runs his tongue across the top of his teeth, and Liam shakes his head while he’s at it. “You said I could play with you,” he reminds his mate. “My turn.”

Zayn’s definitely not prepared when Liam flips them over, the both of them bouncing back on the bed while Liam snickers. “Sometimes I think you forget.”

And just as he’s about to help Zayn off with his boxers, the Alpha pinches Liam’s side, bringing his legs around Liam’s waist to keep him from moving away. “Funny,” he offers. “If you wanna make it a game, we can.” Trailing his fingers over Liam’s skin, Zayn does so carefully and lightly, just enough to bring goosebumps to the surface.

“I’d beat you anyway; you know it.”

The cocky attitude that Liam displays isn’t necessarily new to Zayn, but it still catches him by surprise in times like this. Liam’s mostly shy and reserved when they’re around people, letting Zayn guide him with his hand on his lower back to keep him calm. However, that had typically been extended to the privacy of their home as well. A combination of confidence with Kiya, and Zayn being supportive has shuffled Liam’s personality around for the better. That’s not to say he hasn’t done any of it on his own, but with the Omega’s newfound assertiveness, Zayn has to mention that that’s a thing he most definitely enjoys too.

“Alright then,” Zayn says, slipping his fingers over Liam’s chest to play with one of his nipples. “Show me.”

Liam, in response, looks a little lost now. It’s just talk, just foreplay, but Zayn can see it sinking into his mind what they’d been implying, and normally stuff like this hasn’t been discussed. Sex is probably a little mundane for them - not that it’s not enjoyable - but pushing Liam out of his comfort zone has never been an option Zayn’s been willing to take. For one, Zayn would like to believe he’s not an absolute dick of an Alpha that forces their Omega to please them, and two, stuff like this takes time, a different kind of courage in the bedroom than in any other situation.

Now, though, Zayn thinks that maybe he can mention something. It’s simple, not too far off the mark in terms of kinkiness, but it might take a moment or two for Liam to get comfortable with the idea. It’s not necessarily common in their world, not when the idea of roles are so ingrained into minds on how things should be. But Zayn’s already taken a chance on a male Omega; so, what’s the harm in breaking a few more boundaries, those set up by mindless twats and their ignorance?

“Liam,” Zayn says softly, runs his the palm of his hand over Liam’s cheek, the tips of his fingers through the Omega’s fringe that barely even falls over his face. “Want you to show me, yeah? Show me how good you can be.”

He doesn’t elaborate, not yet, wants Liam to know the first part of what he’s asking of him. He won’t have to give it if he doesn’t want to. Liam knows by now that he can put a stop to anything he doesn’t like, same for Zayn.

The self-consciousness slowly but surely melts away from Liam’s demeanor, eyes on Zayn as he listens intently. Zayn watches as he nods carefully, still on top of Zayn but holding himself up because he’s definitely got the strength for it.

“Just want you to think about it for a moment, okay?” Zayn carefully asks, testing the waters before he dives in. At this point, he wonders if his small coaxing is more scary than it is reassuring, but Liam still looks interested.

Especially when he grows impatient, reaching down to slap Zayn’s thigh. “Don’t be careful with me,” he says sternly, and while he asks that, Zayn knows that he needs to be anyway. There’s a general sense of being strong and thinking someone can handle certain confessions until it’s actually said and things end up truly fucked.

But this time, Zayn takes Liam’s word for it, licks his lips and wiggles his hips. He purposefully thrusts his hips upwards, brushing both his and Liam’s cocks together. Liam manages to pepper a string of kisses all the way down Zayn’s neck and up to his jaw, waiting on the Alpha to continue. “ _Leeyum_ ,” he breathes, closing his eyes; the warm weight of Liam’s body against his is doing him no favors. “Fuck me.” Those words are not empty, both full of breath with an underlying moan attached to the end.

And while Liam keeps going, it’s not too long afterwards that things click into place for him. Zayn knows what he said. He’s not so out of it that it just slipped off his tongue.

It takes a moment for the Omega to gather some kind of courage to look at Zayn, and when he does, his eyes are a little narrowed, thick brows furrowed up in complete confusion, and he almost looks like he’s on the edge of laughing, like what Zayn said was nothing more than a joke. “Can’t do that, Zayn,” he says simply. “Not like you.”

When he finishes, Liam looks guilty. It’s been a long time since Zayn’s seen that look on his face, and it suddenly angers him that it’s there. He’s not mad at Liam, of course not, but he’s upset at the fact that Liam thinks he can’t do this for Zayn. And yeah, it’s probably frowned upon considering Omega’s are bitches meant to take a knot, and Alphas are _dominant_ creatures with only a need to take. But that takes away from Zayn’s complexity. As much as Liam is more than his heat, Zayn would like to believe he's more than his knot.

Besides, he’s heard about it, read up on Alpha’s liking it, _enjoying_ it even, and there’s no reason Zayn shouldn’t let Liam fuck him like he wants. It’d been a long shot to express it, maybe, but the thought’s been in the back of Zayn’s mind for quite some time. It’s only now bubbling to the surface given Liam’s little show of power plus the fact that they’re not in a point in their life where they want another baby. Not that they couldn’t use a condom, but why go for that when Zayn’s perfectly willing to spread himself good for Liam?

“Don’t have to be,” Zayn promises. “Doesn’t mean you can’t fuck me.”

Every time he speaks he gauges Liam’s reaction, and while it hasn’t really changed from when he’d first brought about his offer, Liam looks less guilty and a lot more curious as to how Zayn even thinks this is possible. “You don’t like,” and Liam frowns until Zayn nudges him to continue, “you don’t get _wet_ Zayn.”

The flush that covers his entire face is so endearing to Zayn that he can’t help but smile. Liam turns his frown into a pout, wants to bury his face into the crook of Zayn’s neck to escape the Alpha’s gaze, but Zayn doesn’t let him. He holds Liam’s face in his hands, brushes his thumbs against Liam’s jaw and says, “And you don’t have a knot, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get me off with your cock, now does it?”

“ _Zayn_ ,” Liam whines, curling one of his hands around Zayn’s hip.

“ _Liam_ ,” the Alpha says in response. “Don’t have to, you know, but it’s a nice thought.” And it is; at least, for Zayn it is. Liam might like it if he had more time to come around to the idea, especially given that he’d always been prepared to be fucked himself, with or without a knot to fill him completely.

But the longer they sit in silence, Zayn patiently waiting for Liam’s next reaction, he finds that he’s partially glad that he said something at all. Even if Liam’s decision is a no, and Zayn can respect that, maybe it’ll give them a little leeway next time, have it on the Omega’s mind to think about the next time they’re alone together.

“Do you even have uh-” Liam blushes again, and while Zayn’s inclined to ask Liam what he’s talking about (not that he doesn’t know, but mostly out of the fact that Liam embarrassed [especially in the bedroom] is something he quite enjoys). Zayn spares him that though, lets Liam work this out on his own, and he does so by showing Zayn his hand and crooking his fingers as if that’s supposed to mean something.

At first, it takes a second or two for it to click, the fact that Liam can’t just say _prostate_ earning a shove to Zayn’s shoulder because he giggles, tongue pressed up against the back of his teeth. But in due time, Zayn shrugs with lazy ease. “I don’t see why not. Guess well find out, huh?”

While Liam visible swallows, Zayn makes sure not to take his hands off of Liam, pressing them against his skin for comfort’s sake. “Let me up for a second.” And Liam does as he’s told, watches Zayn clumsily slide off the bed and head into the bathroom for a moment.

When he returns, there’s something in his hands, his boxers still wrapped around his lithe frame until he shimmies out of them, getting back onto the mattress. He keeps a mild distance from the Omega, tries to scale his reaction in case Liam’s suddenly changed his mind.

“You know what you’re doing?” Liam asks, eyeing the tube in Zayn’s hand.

“Wouldn’t ask if I didn’t,” Zayn replies, and once he realizes that that might've sound a little too harsh, he decides to add onto it. “Did my homework, at least. Alpha’s don’t stretch like Omegas do; that’s the main concern.”

While Liam bites on his lip, Zayn watches as he glances over his frame like he’s piecing together what needs to happen. And honestly, it doesn’t seem that difficult. They’re both males; they logically work the same way save for a few things here and there. There’s no slick on Zayn’s part, and Liam doesn’t have a knot, but Zayn’s perfectly aware that on the outside, they’re relatively similar.

He’s also asked Harry about this in confidence, and has heard _a lot_ of drunken stories at the bar, and while it’s mostly hearsay, the only way to know is to try.

“Do you like- you want me to-” And Zayn cuts himself off, holding up the object he’s got in his hand. It’s a bottle of lube, and Liam’s definitely not stupid; he knows what it is as soon as Zayn shows him the label, but he also looks a little dumbfounded. “Or do you?”

And Zayn thinks it’s best to offer him that. If Zayn’s gonna do this, at least Liam will get to watch Zayn fingerfuck himself. Otherwise, Liam might be enticed enough to try, feel what it’s like when Zayn slips his hand into Liam's heat and fucks him nice and slow, makes him cum three-fingers deep.

Liam’s pupils seem to dilate after that question. He’s quiet, cock still hard against his belly. It’s not as shiny as it was when Zayn had wrapped his mouth around it, but the tip is, a gathering of pre-cum neatly smearing itself across Liam’s lower stomach, across some of his scar. It’s not that large, and it’s more pink than it is red now, and while Liam had been wary of it, he’d accepted it with ease, much to Zayn’s happiness. “You’d let me?” Liam asks. “Even though I don’t know what I’m doing?”

He could go on, tell Zayn that he’s going to screw this up by being inexperienced, by not knowing what to do or how he’ll get Zayn off. There seems to be a looming responsibility set on Liam’s shoulders, and while Zayn had wanted Liam to experience what he does on a semi-regular basis, he hadn’t meant to make Liam feel like it was all on him to get it right. “Hey,” he nudges Liam, crawls closer to him so that their legs tangle together, Zayn licking into Liam’s mouth and teasing his cock in order to send a rush of warmness throughout his entire body. “Whatever you do, you’re not gonna get it wrong.”

Liam’s breath hitches, and Zayn can feel him nod against his shoulder. “Okay,” he whispers. “Let me have it.”

Zayn gently hands Liam the lube, pulling himself away from Liam before looking around the bed. “Where do you want me?”

It’s such a simple question, but even then, Liam looks a little overwhelmed. He shrugs, but then he makes his choice by nodding over towards the pillows. “Just lay back.”

The Alpha does as he’s told, nestles himself against the abundance of pillows they have towards the head of the bed. Liam’s off to his side, the lube already opened and being poured over his fingers. Zayn watches as he rubs them together, soaking them nicely before he discards the bottle, close enough for him to get at it again if he needs it. After that, Liam looks to Zayn for guidance, and it seems like it’s becoming a repetitive thing. It’s not anything bad, but Zayn wants Liam to get comfortable with giving direct orders. Zayn will listen, and he’ll promise that to Liam if he asks. “Tell me what you want. C’mon, Liam.” His eyelashes flutter when he blinks, a little heavy and hazy, drunk on watching Liam sitting tall. “You know what you want,” he affirms, raising a brow in impatience.

He’s not really, but it does a bit of good for Liam to think so because that spurs him into action, crawling up next to Zayn and wrapping his clean hand around his ankle. “Spread yourself, then.”

And Zayn obeys. How much, Liam doesn’t say, but Zayn’s not going to push him any further than that. So, when he moves his legs apart, he brings one of them closer, knee nearing his mid-chest and pushed out, exposing the pink of his hole. Zayn doesn’t think he’s ever been in a more compromising situation in his life. There’s definitely a level of vulnerability there, and he wonders if this is what Liam feels like, likes to think that maybe it gives him as much of a thrill as it is for Zayn right now.

Liam’s very careful with his touches. Even though his fingers are sliding up Zayn’s leg, he takes his time, licking his lips and eyes fluttering back and forth between Zayn’s eyes and what he’s offering. While Zayn very much enjoys watching Liam, he finds himself closing his eyes, breathes in the sticky feeling of sweat that’s already beginning to adorn his body. There’s a level of comfort that comes with using the other senses of the body. It’s like he becomes hyper aware of Liam, feels the first touch that Liam makes, how he draws his finger around Zayn so very carefully, lightly pushing against the heat of himself.

It’s not until he feels wet that he manages to open his eyes, finds Liam quite fascinated with what he’s doing, and honestly, Zayn knows that feeling. To be aware that he’s _allowed_ to touch Liam is kind of incredible to him, and with that thought, Zayn can’t help but let his lips part, tongue darting out to lick his lips. “You can push in,” he says softly.

Liam only shakes his head, sticking the tip of his tongue out of the corner of his mouth like he’s got to concentrate. “Just- slow, right?”

“Yeah, babe.”

Zayn’s _thought_ about doing this, obviously, but thinking it and actually doing it are two very different things, and having someone else do it for him is another thing entirely too. He relaxes, not at all afraid of anything going wrong. He trusts Liam, and while it seems that he’s the one being pleasured out of this entire experience, this is a lot more for Liam and his mentality than it will ever be for Zayn. For now, he’s guiding Liam, helping him along while simultaneously proving that despite Liam being an Omega, he’s got every bit of right to be as bossy as he wants with Zayn (and even if Liam finds that he’d much rather leave that to Zayn, return to their previous roles, hopefully he’ll be grateful that he got the chance to _try_ something else).

The first finger slides in with relative ease. There’d been a little resistance, and Liam had paused until he pushed in further with Zayn’s go ahead. Now, though, Liam’s looking utterly fascinated, and Zayn’s trying to process the fact that if this goes smoothly, Liam’s going to _fuck_ him. “It’s good,” he says. “You’re good.”

And it is, to an extent. Mostly it’s just a weird sensation feeling Liam inside him, and it’s not too long afterwards that Liam goes for another finger. He’s careful, like always, and Zayn waits patiently as he can, feeling the stretch and ultimate give his body is allowing.

Zayn expects a third finger, but that doesn’t happen. Instead, Liam wiggles his digits, twists them and lets Zayn get used to the feeling of two. By now, Liam’s close enough for Zayn to curl the palm of his hand around Liam’s arm, the one he’s got settled on Zayn’s hip to keep him from moving.

It’s not until Liam begins to slide his hand back that Zayn feels something relatively good, the slow slide of something being drawn out, that makes his breath hitch and whisper Liam’s name.

The Omega is very care with his movements, working his fingers back down to the knuckle until Zayn tries to push down onto them. He doesn’t feel all that full, not like he does stretched, but Liam uses the tip of his middle finger to gently ease Zayn open a little more. Zayn’s entrance is probably pink now, he imagines, shiny and partially fucked by Liam. That thought alone leaves him wanting more, and although Liam’s taking his time, Zayn tries to push down again, silently begging Liam to hurry it up.

He might regret it later, he knows. Liam’s not always swore after they have sex, but sometimes he is, and it’d be a miracle of Zayn wasn’t. He’s not letting that stop them though, doesn’t want to put that worry in Liam’s mind because surely he wouldn’t want to cause Zayn any pain.

Zayn can’t really feel each individual finger, but he can feel more of the burn from the stretch itself. Liam holds off, quiet this entire time while Zayn adjusts. For now, they’ve been silent except Zayn’s small little keens. They’re reading each others eyes, though, their facial expressions, and Liam’s need to make sure that his Alpha is doing alright.

Zayn finds it hard to express exactly what he’s feeling. All he knows is that it’s _good_ and even better with Liam in between his legs, carefully fucking Zayn with his fingers, making sure he’s not going too fast nor too slow, doesn’t want Zayn to feel any kind of pain, but doesn’t want to antagonize him either.

The grip around Liam’s wrist tightens, Zayn curling his fingers even further, nails most likely digging into Liam’s skin. Liam, on the other hand, makes no protest, just leaves his hand there while he bends down and carefully licks the underside of Zayn’s cock. He’s not expecting it either, having solely been focused on the fact that he _does_ feel incredible full now. Although, now that Liam’s going in two for one, Zayn’s teeth can’t help but find his lower lip.

Hopefully he won’t draw blood, but Liam’s not taking his time anymore, nor is he looking at Zayn like he’s got questions in his eyes. He’s thoroughly enjoying this, liking the way Zayn’s so plaint and needy. It gives him a kind of credence he didn’t know he had or needed.

Liam’s mouth eventually finds the tip of Zayn’s cock, swirling it around the head as a distraction for the way he deliberately slides his fingers out of Zayn. He thrusts them in again, not as harsh but definitely not as slow as the last time. “Wanna tell me what you’re thinking, Zayn?”

Really, his brain is a jumbled mess. It’s not that he can’t find words; it’s just the fact that he can’t piece them together to form a complete sentence. His grip on Liam’s wrist slacks considerable, and that - along with the fact there’s only a layer of _good_ running through his veins - should be enough of a sign.

“T-try now,” Zayn manages to get out, doesn’t know if it makes sense or not, but it seems to when Liam completely freezes.

Zayn’s cock is still resting on Liam’s tongue until it slides off, smacking wetly against his lower stomach. “You’re sure?”

Well, Zayn thinks he is, at least, feels opened enough for Liam to take him. It’s only a matter of trying. “Yeah,” Zayn says, finally opening his eyes. “Just- _careful_ , yeah?”

Liam almost looks offended by that and sternly says, “Always.”

The Alpha would laugh in any other given situation considering that Liam looks more than determined at this moment. Zayn reaches out for Liam, smooths the palm of his hand over Liam’s cheek before rubbing his thumb into his Omega’s bottom lip. He doesn’t say anything after that, lets Liam move away to grab the lube, hands a little shaky as he pours more onto his hand.

“Want me to help?”

The look Liam sends Zayn makes it seem as if he’s sitting on the fence with that question, doesn’t know whether he really wants that. It completely conflicts with the Liam who had been very eager to open Zayn up, less sure of himself now that they’re nearing what Zayn had requested right from the beginning.

Liam eventually makes up his own mind about it without another word, touches himself and nearly hisses because the lube is probably cold against the warmth of himself. He jacks himself off, just a few pumps to maintain his hard-on and coat his cock at the same time.

Neither of them have discussed positions or anything of the sort, but it seems like it’s a silent mutual agreement that it’s perfectly fine to go about this as easily as possible, keeping to how they were before. What’s not on their mind - at least for the moment - is the fact that they’ve got the benefit of not being tied together. While Zayn doesn’t typically always knot Liam, especially when he’s not in heat, there’s no chance of him getting caught. Of course, that one element of closeness that the two of them typically like to share will be lost, but Zayn’s steadily finding that that doesn’t always have to be the case with sex. Just being with Liam is enough, regardless of how it happens.

Zayn carefully watches as Liam climbs over his body again, uses his arms to keep himself upright. The slick of his cock brushes up against Zayn’s, and the both of them sigh in as much anticipation as relief.

“Ready?” Liam asks. He knows how this goes from here, is still a little troubled about what they’re doing given that _he’s_ the Omega, and Zayn is the Alpha. Zayn isn’t prone to heats, doesn’t slick up like Liam does (and is right now), and Liam doesn’t have a knot at the base of his cock, made to catch the rim of a pretty little hole.

There’s an internal conflict Liam’s having with himself, one he knows the answers to already. And as if Zayn’s sensing that, because in a way, he does, he grips the back of Liam’s neck, looks him straight in the eyes before he brings himself forward, leaning up to meet Liam’s lips in a simple, hungry kiss. It’s a little sloppy, Zayn’s tongue brushing out to meet Liam’s, licking against the corner of his mouth, across his teeth, before battling for some kind of dominance.

Liam lets him, lets him use this as a way to ease the tension, breathes in words of comfort, that he’s _brave_ , and _loving_ , and _perfect_.

As soon as Zayn breaks away, the both of them breathing heavy, he leans back against the pillows, raises his legs up against Liam’s body before wrapping them carefully around the Omega’s waist. “You know what to do.”

And Liam does. He grips his cock, carefully positioning himself against Zayn’s entrance, watches how it flutters and parts when Liam moves forward just a little at a time. There’s quite a bit of lube; it’s all around Zayn’s lower half and enough so that should ease the transition from having thick fingers up his ass, to Liam’s dick he never knew he wanted in this way.

Zayn’s not sure how much Liam’s pressed in already, but he can feel just the tip, at least. There’s more of that burning sensation, the one that lets him know he’s being stretched, and while there’s minimal pain, it slowly grows the further that Liam pushes in.

At one point, Zayn’s face crumples and all he does feel is pain. It shoots up the back of his spine and out through his limbs. For him, there’s no telling how far Liam’s gotten, doesn’t know if he’s taken all of him, and that’s why it’s so uncomfortable. However, what he does know is that there’s no way he’d kept that look from Liam. The Omega pauses, brushes his knuckles over Zayn’s cheek until he can open his eyes and look up at Liam. “M’okay,” he manages to say, but that isn’t the complete truth, not really.

It’s definitely a bit of a lie, and Liam must sense that because he shakes his head quickly. Zayn feels the head of Liam’s cock slip out of his hole, and that hurts a little too, but the amount of relief must show on his face because Liam’s right there, peppering kisses all along his neck. “I’m sorry,” he says and continuously repeats as if this is all his fault.

And Zayn does know that he’s blaming himself, berating the audacity he had to believe Zayn when he said that he wasn’t going to get anything wrong. So, Zayn runs his hand over Liam’s skin, presses his palm against the back of Liam’s neck and into the edge of his hair where he pulls at the roots gently. Liam follows, looks at Zayn with wet eyes until he can’t help but look away again. “Look at me,” Zayn pleads, tugging on Liam’s hair again to get him to listen, at least. Again, his movements are gentle, wants to be firm yet soft as he tells Liam that it’s not his fault. “You should be happy,” Zayn goes on to say. “Means you’re a pretty good size.”

There’s the hint of a smirk that makes its way onto Liam’s face at Zayn’s attempt for a joke, but it quickly falls away, replaced by heavy guilt. “Don’t wanna do it if it’s gonna hurt you, Zayn.”

And he means it, goddamnit. Zayn curses himself, wonders how he ever found such an Omega. Maybe it’s in Liam’s Omega nature to care, but no, it’s much more; his kindness extends and exceeds even that, and it’s incredible to know that it’s directed at Zayn and anyone else Liam has a preference for. “Hey,” and he gives a encouraging smile, “just means I need to be stretched a little more, I’d say. You up for it?”

Liam looks ready to protest like he thinks they ought to put a stop to this until he asks, “You still want this?”

As much as Zayn would like to be selfish and say _yes_ , this experience had always been more about Liam than for himself. It’s not up to him to decide, and Zayn makes sure that Liam knows it. “We can stop if _you_ want. I’m up for anything,” he says. “You gotta know that.”

It probably takes a minute or two for Liam to give a shaky nod, grabbing the bottle of lube to coat his fingers again. Zayn’s a mess already, can feel the slick all over his balls, down to his exposed little hole. While Liam does that, Zayn grabs his cock, gently working himself, teasing before adding, “Explain it to me, yeah?” And Liam looks on at him curiously, doesn’t know what Zayn means by that until he continues. “What I look like. Tell me, Liam.”

Liam visibly bites his lip, dick twitching and leaking a little more pre-cum. “Good,” he says with a raspy voice. “Look so good, _pretty_.”

“Yeah?” Zayn urges.

“Like, we haven’t even properly fucked, and you look it.” Liam finally crawls closer, circles his fingers against Zayn’s entrance once again before quickly pushing in. By now, Zayn can handle it, feels the way that Liam attempts to spread his fingers, help Zayn get used to having more.

“What else?”

Liam cocks an eyebrow, pauses his movements until he’s bent low, breath against Zayn’s hip, close to his balls. He reaches out for them with his tongue, tugs one of them into his mouth and sucks quickly before letting go. “You look like you’re in heat.”

Zayn’s still got a grip on himself, and in order to keep from cumming, he has to tighten his his grasp. Holding himself at the base of his cock, he closers his eyes and breathes in so deeply just so he doesn’t spill over. Zayn’s cum all over Liam’s face before but never like this, and there’s no way he’s going to lose himself over the fact that he looks like he’s in goddamn fucking _heat_.

There’s a hum emitted from Liam and a smile in his eyes, knowing exactly what he’s done given his words. Zayn almost regrets giving him this outlet, finds it absolutely hilarious that Liam’s milking him for all he’s worth, and quite soon that’s _literally_ what he’s going to be doing.

After that, Zayn just grows impatient, can’t help his low whines, working himself on Liam’s fingers until the Omega eventually does find what he’d apparently been looking for. That bundle of nerves sends so many feelings all over Zayn that he doesn’t know what to do with himself except squirm and moan out, “ _Liam_.”

“Now?” Liam asks, and Zayn’s response to that is a mumbled _yes_.

Liam’s a little more eager this time around. There’s still a steady shake to his hands because there’s that underlying fear of Zayn hurting, but he’s trusting the Alpha, lets his body speak for itself.

“Let me-” Zayn clears his throat, eyes hooded in want. He tries to sit up, and Liam aims to push him back down, but Zayn just shakes his head. “No, like.”

There’s no further explanation than that, not when he gestures for Liam to move back, handing him a pillow he doesn’t know what to do with. Liam gets the hint after a second, using it to place against the bedpost at the end of the bed where he lays back. As soon as he’s settled, Zayn’s in his lap, straddling his thighs, letting Liam place the palms of his hands against the curve of Zayn’s hips, just where his thighs meets.

Liam’s cock is trapped underneath Zayn. He can feel it, warm and wet against his ass. So, he ruts like he would if he were in heat, spidery little fingers crawling over Liam’s skin, up his chest, over his nipples until he’s laced them around the Omega’s neck. “ _Leeyum_ ,” he says, and he must sound so pleading because Liam doesn’t even pause as Zayn falls forward, resting his head against Liam’s shoulder as the Omega reaches around to press his fingers against Zayn’s puckered hole.

He teases, is what Liam does, and Zayn’s got to hold back a smile because not only is that _good_ , but Liam’s taking initiative, taking the lead. “Wonder how long I could do this before I’d make you cum,” Liam suddenly says with his fingers gently working Zayn open again.

Zayn can’t help but lick at Liam’s skin, tastes the salt against his collarbone, wants so badly to push himself down onto Liam. But he doesn’t, not yet, at least. He tries to be good, tries to restrain himself and wait for Liam to give Zayn his cock.

And he does soon after when Zayn falls short of words, when he rocks his hips, his own cock trapped between their bodies. Liam doesn’t let him suffer in mild pleasure, wants to give it to him good so he gets to experience all of what Liam does.

So, while Zayn’s too busy glancing up at Liam, the Omega is reaching for his member, lining it up with Zayn before he carefully presses the tip into Zayn’s heat. In a moment, Zayn will have to help him out, had chosen this position just for that reason. It gives Zayn control to slide down, using it as a way to gauge his own reaction instead of relying on Liam to completely push in. It’s not that he doesn’t trust Liam’s ability either; that’s not what this is about. It’s more so to ease Liam’s concern; if he doesn’t have complete power, then it won’t be anyone’s fault but Zayn’s for being risky and going too quickly.

Zayn can feel Liam’s hand on his ass, keeping his cheeks spread, rubbing soothing circles with his palm while he carefully sits back. Liam keeps an eye on Zayn’s face, has to look at an awkward angle because Zayn refuses to look up at the Omega while he does this.

From time to time, his brows furrow, whines and hisses because it’s not all that comfortable. It’s easier than it was before, not as painful the first time Liam tried to slide in, but it’s better, and he knows he can take Liam if he remains calm and goes at his own pace.

To help him along in his own way, Liam presses his lips against the side of Zayn’s face, continues to rub circles against his ass, and whispers little praises with how good he’s being.

Not long after, Zayn soon realizes that he’s taken all of Liam, the way his ass meets the top of Liam’s thighs, can feel his balls pressed up against him too. He’d laugh in joy, maybe, if that wouldn’t be weird, but Liam beats it to him in his own way. “So good, Zayn, for taking all of me, aren’t you?”

And fuck if it isn’t hot when Liam gives him praises, likes how that sounds, likes how Liam _feels_. “Shit,” he breathes. Zayn’s careful not to move too much, the both of them waiting until he adjusts, until he feels secure enough to try and rock his hips. “I’m so fucking full, Liam.”

Liam does press his smile into Zayn’s shoulder. “Yeah?”

Zayn snorts, finally lifts his head up and nudges Liam’s jaw. “Haven’t even fucked me properly, and I can already see why you like it so much.”

At that, the Omega blushes fiercely, the red coloring his already slightly pink cheeks. Liam’s hair falls across his forehead, and Zayn wonders what he looks like, if he looks just as good as Liam. “Like it much better cuz it’s you.”

There’s no need for any kind of explanation with that. Zayn’s had previous partners, not many, but just a handful, and he can honestly say that even if their techniques had been different, had brought him pleasure, it’s literally nowhere near what Liam gives him. Even if he’s a little inexperienced, Zayn being his first Alpha (and at this rate, his _only_ one), it’s never been a cause for concern because it’s Liam, and he always makes things _better_.

“Well,” Zayn tilts his head, bites the inside of his lip and bats his eyelashes real nicely. “Let’s see if you enjoy fucking me too.”

Liam makes an odd face, one that wonders why Zayn would even question that. But it doesn’t really matter anymore, the thought lost when Zayn shifts his hips just like so, nothing major but enough for Liam to drop his head back against the pillows.

Once Zayn’s satisfied, feeling a little more confident in moving without causing himself pain, he starts a little rhythm with his hips, slowly rocking against Liam and doing all of the work. He doesn’t mind, at least not at this moment because it’s better when Zayn has Liam’s attention, when Liam only has eyes for him, can’t bring himself to look away.

Soon enough, Liam joins him, slow little thrusts, pushing up into Zayn like he’s not already buried deep as it is.

Their pace isn’t anything to write home about, but it feels good, feels nice the way Zayn’s cock drags across Liam’s stomach, little patches of pre-cum left behind on his skin. They’ll be so sticky and covered in sweat by the time they’re finished, perspiration already beginning to form across their brows. But that’s okay; it gives Zayn the chance to learn forward, attach his lips against Liam’s neck and mark him up while he quickens his movements. Instead of just rocking forward now, Zayn makes sure to sit up, pulling himself off of Liam’s cock a little at a time before he goes back down.

The drag is slow, and Zayn can feel the vibrations of Liam’s whimpers when he presses his fingers in a dance across his neck. They’ve memorized each other a hundred times over, but this time, it’s so different. Zayn knows Liam very well, but it’s dissimilar when he’s the one pressed against Liam’s chest, relying on the thickness of a cock being inside of him rather than the tightness of Liam’s own arse.

Liam gets a little rougher with Zayn at one point, and Zayn doesn’t protest. He’ll already be sorry in the morning, sore and heavily sated from all they’ve done so far. And either way, it’ll be worth it. The way Liam’s got his hands on Zayn’s waist, guiding his every move, how he brushes his lips against the shell of Zayn’s ear, coaxing him along as he continues to ride Liam like they’ve done this a million times before.

Being caught up in the moment lets loose any more reservations, and that’s just fine with Zayn. His shoulders feel slack, body pliant save for that of his lower half, working him into such a pleasured state. If he were looking down, Zayn would probably be fascinated with the way his muscles moved, crazy over the way Liam stomach curves and bends as he adds a little more force with each thrust.

“You’re so fucking tight for me, babe,” Liam moans, his breath heavy against Zayn’s cheek as he nuzzles against Zayn. He seeks out his Alpha’s mouth at that point, sliding their tongues together lazily as he helps Zayn steadily bounce on his cock.

They’re short little movements that causes Zayn to curl his fingers against Liam’s skin, dragging the blunt of his nails down the sides of Liam’s shoulders when he hits that little spot within Zayn. His entire face hangs for a moment, eyes closing, and there’s certainly a choked moan trying to escape from his throat.

Thing is, Zayn can’t get it out right away, just wants Liam to keep fucking up into him, right into that little bundle of nerves that feels so good. “ _Fuck_ ,” is all he manages to get out.

“That okay?” Liam lets go of one of Zayn’s hips, keeping the other one steady as he works his hand behind them. There’s plenty of opportunity for him to move and change positions, throw Zayn back onto the bed and fuck into him, thrusting hard enough that Zayn moves from the push.

But Liam knows better, at least for now. That’ll be another time if they’re ever up for this again. Right now they’re only focused on one thing at a time, and for certain that’s Liam brushing over Zayn’s chest, tweaking a nipple before giving up and placing his grip around Zayn’s member.

As soon as Liam touches Zayn, the Alpha clenches his jaw, not prepared for that level of pleasure added onto being fucked. As much as he might hate to admit it, he sobs with want as he rests his forehead into the curve of Liam’s shoulder, bucking up into Liam’s fist, only to be rewarded with fact that that just makes him fall back down onto Liam’s dick.

“Liam,” Zayn tries to get out. His throat has gone dry by now, seems closed off too because words are too much for his muddled brain to handle. The only thing he knows is what he wants, and what he wants is to _cum_ , and with Liam wanking him off, pumping his fist over Zayn’s cock, he knows it won’t be long. “Please, Liam. C’mon, like- _please_.”

Zayn’s sure Liam knows that he’s sensitive, so much so that he should know when Zayn’s about to tip over the edge, and even though Zayn’s begging for some kind of release (be it quick or otherwise), he knows that’s not going to happen on his own time. Liam’s not necessarily going to draw it out, but if the smile pressed behind Zayn’s ear is any indication of how playful Liam can be, then there’s a good chance that that’s going to be how Zayn cums, with Liam's name on his lips and his filthy words whispered in his ear.

“S’funny,” Liam starts, just like Zayn knew he would. “Like, you enjoy giving me your knot so much, right, but who knew,” and his laughter is so deep, Zayn feels it against his chest, “who knew that an Alpha liked taking it up the ass so much.”

If Zayn’s lip is not bleeding by now, he’d be surprised. He’s quite fond of teasing Liam, likes to press those kinds of words into Liam’s back when he’s fucking him on all fours, or even after they’re knotted, going for round two.

Which means Liam’s not done yet. “You did this for me, I know,” he explains. “And I just want you to know how fucking _tight_ you are, yeah? So, _so_ willing for me, aren’t you?”

Zayn feels it when Liam brings his hand lower, fumbling with his balls before wrapping his fingers around the knot at the base. There’s a good chance that if Liam were to wrap his fist around him, continue letting Zayn fucking into it, that it’d pop, try and knot Liam like he usually does. This time around he won’t get to though, knows that it’ll expand just a little but not extend because Zayn’s not given a tight little hole to pound into, no.

That’s Liam’s right now, and god, is he taking advantage of that. “Imagine how sticky you’re going to be, hmm?” Liam then lets go of his other hand on Zayn’s hip, keeps them rocking together, but uses his free fingers to slip them down between Zayn’s arse, presses against the point where they’re connected. “How full you’ll be of _my_ cum.”

And Zayn makes the mistake of lifting his head to look at Liam, those brown eyes a little glassy, cheeks nice and red from exertion, how the corner of his lips are pulled up like he’s proud of himself and what he’s doing; and he should be; Zayn’s pretty sure this has been one of the best fucks in his life.

“Can’t knock you up though,” Liam tsks with pity, not even looking remotely sorry for his taunts. “Picture it though. Round and swollen-”

From there, Zayn cries out, can’t take it anymore, not with Liam surrounding him, being so, _so_ good to him. And then that image, _fuck_. He cums loud and hard, and there’s not an inch of regret for doing so either. He spills over Liam’s hand, his hips stuttering as Liam continues to work him through his orgasm, and through it, that’s when he feels it, notices how Liam isn’t any better than him when it comes to control.

Zayn can’t really describe what it’s like to have Liam cum deep inside of him. The feeling is faint, and probably wouldn’t be noticeable otherwise, but fuck it; if Zayn hadn’t just blown his load, that surely would’ve done it.

Liam looks all sorts of beautiful before, during, and after his high. Zayn’s managed to stay upright until Liam had his pleasure too, not wanting to be selfish enough to keep that from him. Although, the moment that Liam sighs, Zayn takes the opportunity to fall forward again onto Liam’s bare chest, his lungs heavy with the need for air, his arse sore but still full with Liam’s cock. And they’re sticky, Zayn’s cum having covered both their tummies.

They don’t move enough, neither of them finding it in themselves. And it’ll be a little difficult to do so the longer they wait, but the afterglow is a glorious thing that both of them like to share, and mostly it’s been with Liam tucked under Zayn’s chin, pressing kisses of thanks all across his face for relieving him of his desires.

But this time it’s Zayn’s turn, and he’s more than happy to do it regardless of how boneless he feels. He starts that by seeking out Liam’s lips, swollen cherry red and still looking absolutely delicious. “Thank you,” he says, makes sure his eyes are locked with Liam’s. There’s a good chance he’ll argue, throw the sentiment back to Zayn because this _was_ about Liam, but Zayn won’t hear of it otherwise.

“Was that okay?” Liam asks instead.

And the way Zayn pushes his tongue behind his teeth and smiles is enough for Liam to mirror his expression. There’s no need for Zayn to give a verbal answer, but he does, reaching between them to play with the drying cum on Liam’s tummy. “Don’t think I’d paint you with this if that weren’t the case.” And just out of curiousity, Zayn brings a little bit of it back to his mouth, licking to taste himself just as he’s done with Liam more times than he can count.

Liam makes a face but doesn’t fault Zayn for his actions. Instead, he leans in to press his mouth against Zayn’s one last time before he gestures to the bathroom. “Should probably clean you up, huh?”

The Alpha opens his mouth, and even though Liam has no idea what he’s going to say, he shakes his head, effectively cutting him off. “Let me take care of you,” he says, repeating similar words from earlier.

He looks so sincere, so caring, and kind that Zayn can’t do anything but nod.

It hurts some when Liam finally slides out of him, and he can definitely feel the soreness kick in, wonders just out bad it’ll be come morning, but Liam kisses him again with promises of a warmth bath to soothe their muscles and help them feel easy when the time comes for them to sleep.

And Liam does as he promises, washes Zayn carefully,  takes the time to admire the Alpha regardless of the fact that he’s done it plenty of times before. They make themselves squeaky clean and fresh before they tuck themselves into bed, Liam eventually tucking himself into Zayn’s side without another word.

Their closeness and their touches, the fact that Liam rests his arm around Zayn’s waist and tangles their legs together a very good sign that despite the night not turning out like it had meant to, it wasn’t really all that bad either.

+

Both Zayn and Liam are given the morning to spend a little more time together. And while that includes sleeping in, and a general sense of being lazy, they attempt to cook a late breakfast. The toast ends up a little burnt, but the eggs turn out perfectly, and overall, it’s nice. Liam’s able to curl up next to Zayn in bed while he chews on an egg, both more than a little happy after last night.

“Was it that bad, you know, being away from her for so long?” Zayn murmurs. He can definitely feel his muscles strain, knows that he’s walking with a bit of limp, and while that’s definitely not something enjoyable, Zayn can tell that Liam feels the slightest bit proud.

And either way, Zayn’s gonna let him have it.

Liam then feeds Zayn his last bite of his toast before going in for the rest of the eggs. He’s not a sloppy eater, but he does stuff his face, and it’s possible they probably should’ve eaten before they went to bed  “Are you wanting me to admit that you were right?” He takes a quick bite, chewing before he swallows and then adds, “Because I’m not sure I’m willing to do that.”

He’s in light spirits, so Zayn (because he’s got his arm around Liam) reaches down and tries to tickle Liam’s sides, bringing out his laughter until he’s further down on the bed and looking up towards Zayn. “It’s okay to miss her.”

The Omega nods, licks his lips while he’s at it. He looks content, hands sprawled over his t-shirt covered tummy, feet wiggling in his socks. “I do, but it’s not so bad, that feeling.”

“She’s in good hands,” Zayn says, running his finger over the outside of Liam’s ear. Eventually, he makes his way to Liam’s hair, playing with his unruly fringe from not having combed through it after they’d gotten out of the shower. Zayn probably looks a right mess too, but the bed is comfy and warm, and for now, it’s just the two of them.

“I know,” Liam adds, smiling up at Zayn so brightly. His cheeks pull up, and his eyes crinkle a little at the sides, and Zayn’s looking at him from this weird angle, but it doesn’t even matter because he’s like a little light, burning brightly in an already well-lit room; it may be unnecessary, but the thing is, he’d still be there come nightfall, and it’s only those that stick around that get to see that beauty.

And that’s what Liam is for Zayn: a great big ball of energy and light, a force to be reckoned with, and someone he knows he’s not going to be able to live without.

They’ve never talked about marriage, neither of them feeling like they needed that commitment, but dammit if it hasn’t crossed Zayn’s mind in the past twenty-four hours.

Even so, it’s nearly two hours later when there’s a knock at their door. Zayn is lazy when he gets up from the bed, lets Liam get to it first because he knows how anxious he is to get to Kiya now that she’s here.

Trisha greets them, gives Liam a hug before handing Kiya over in her carseat. She’s awake, chewing on one of her toys and looks positively happy the moment Liam comes into view. While Liam sets her down and unbuckles her, Zayn greets his mother with a warm hug.

“She was okay for you?” Zayn asks. He turns his in his mother’s embrace, her arm going around his waist as he looks back on Liam and his daughter.

Liam’s just now pulling her out of her seat, bringing her straight to his chest and placing an arm under her bum to help support her. She immediately dips her head until her she’s tucked under Liam’s chin, and that’s where he scents her, presses kisses across the top of her head and rocks her gently. She’s already calm, but it’s familiar, and Zayn guesses that’s the reason he’s doing it.

“Of course; sweetest little thing I’ve ever met; it’s nice having another baby around,” Trisha murmurs. “Wasn’t that long ago when you were that small.”

When Zayn looks at her, she’s got a bit of a faraway look in her eye. There’s a soft smile on her face, and eventually when she turns her attention back to her son, she pats him on the back before fully stepping aside and letting him go.

“She cried a bit, think she knew she wasn’t at home,” at the mention of this Liam looks up, but Trisha shakes her head, not meaning to startle him, “but Yaser figured out she likes singing. Feel bad for her little ears though, I do.”

Zayn tuts, shaking his head. “Best voice I’ve ever heard, mum.”

“You were always a charmer,” Trisha laughs before wrapping Zayn up in one last hug before she heads off. She extends it to Liam too, walking the short distance over to him, kissing the side of his cheek and brushing her hand carefully through Kiya’s short locks of hair. “I’ll leave you to it then.” She gives Liam one last look before she parts with, “And if you need anything else, you let me know.”

Liam doesn’t have a chance to say thank you before she’s turning away, but he does call after her, and as soon as she looks back at him, the Omega gives her the most sweetest smile he can muster. “Thank you.”

Trisha is standing next to Zayn again, near the front door, and while the air is soft and comfortable, that soon changes when Trisha waves Liam off and says, “Anything for my son.”

Because when she says it, she’s looking at Liam, not at Zayn, and it’s clear that the Omega’s entire face changes. Liam’s appearance doesn’t look worried, or confused by Trisha words - not like Zayn, at least. Instead, his eyes look a little shiny, wide and brown and positively happy.

And Trisha leaves them with that, Zayn walking her out without another word.

As soon as he returns though, Liam looks visibly upset, staring at Zayn like he might want to say something now that they’re alone, but he doesn’t until Liam goes on with, “Well?”

Zayn goes over to them, offering to take Kiya from Liam’s arms since he hadn’t gotten to see her yet. And as soon as he does, he shrugs. “Well what?”

Liam whines, pokes him in the side until he’s grinning. “You know what! Is that like, _is_ that okay?”

At this point, Kiya does look like she wants to nod off to sleep, so Zayn takes a seat on the couch and pats the cushion next to him. Liam immediately follows, with little hesitation in doing so considering he’s waiting on some kind of answer from Zayn. Apparently his approval means more than Trisha’s words, and Zayn just really wants to kiss Liam’s ability to overthink things, away. “I think we both know what she meant,” Zayn says, the palm of Kiya’s hand wrapping around his fingers. “And it’s best not argue with momma, don’t you think?”

He raises his brow, leaning his head back against the couch before turning to Liam whose eyes are downcast. “Yeah,” he breathes, and the corner of his mouth rises ever so slowly until he’s beaming.

Zayn thinks he’s absolutely radiant, and even more so when Liam places his head against his shoulder, resting the palm of his hand against Kiya’s back while she’s busy trying so hard not to fall asleep. And in an effort to show some affection, Liam makes sure to whisper a string of _I love yous_ , pressing them gently into their little space. He’s careful enough that they don’t disturb Kiya - although she hears him, reacting to the sound of his voice by the fluttering of her small eyelashes - but makes sure Zayn knows that he’s speaking to him too.

To return the sentiment, Zayn settles for pulling Liam in close. They’ll let Kiya fall asleep before putting her in her crib, and then if Liam’s up for it - because Zayn knows he is - they’ll have the opportunity to take a nap for themselves, something much needed before they return back to the routine in their lives.

It’s lazy, and definitely boring, but honestly, Zayn knows that he doesn’t give a fuck; Liam too. There is such a thing as being content with the life one has made, and Zayn, well, he’s more than happy that he’s been able to do that with and for his _family_.


End file.
